Rainbow Rags
by DonnaRyukoMatoi9000
Summary: It's just another ordinary day for the homeless brawler Ryuko Matoi, until she meets Blake, a beautiful girl with golden amber eyes, and a romance sparks.
1. The Girl With The Amber Eyes

**Hey, everyone! This fanfic takes place in a modern AU (No Dust, no Grimm etc.) and some of the characters in this story are OOC: Ryuko, Sanageyama, Gamagoori, and Blake to be specific.  
I hope you all like it! :D**

* * *

_Smack! Smack! Boom!_

Rock-hard fists slam into the stuffed leather cylinder, which hangs suspended in the air by a chain hooked to the ceiling. A barrage of tough, rhythmic punches force the black punching bag to recoil backwards, and as the bag sways forward again, a swift side kick makes it swing back and forth like a pendulum. The brawler steps back, breathing heavily. She brushes her dark sweat-drenched hair out of her face. Her shaggy black hair has but a single streak of crimson, something she was surprisingly born with.

"Hey, Ryuko," a deep voice calls from behind her. The brawler's head turns towards the direction of the sound. By the door stands a large, muscular man with short pale blond hair that's slicked back in a style that makes it look like it was wind-tunnel tested.

"Ira Gamagoori," Ryuko says with a half-smile, "what's up?"

"Ah, the usual. How's your training going? Did you win any fights this week?" Gamagoori asks, passing Ryuko a bottle of water.

"Well, I got my ass kicked on Friday, but Saturday was okay. I managed to win a couple fights," Ryuko replies, casually catching the water bottle in her left hand, which is covered by a red fingerless biker glove that has a black strip around the wrist.

"That's good to hear."

"Hopefully, next week I'll do better. I'm saving up for something nice, but I also need to buy myself some new clothes because, as you can tell, these are getting kind of worn out."

Gamagoori looks at Ryuko's outfit. A frayed black beater shirt. Tattered blue jean shorts that barely go halfway down her thighs. White sneakers that are shaded greyish-brown from dirt.

_Yeah, the girl really needs some new attire_, Gamagoori thinks to himself.

"So, where's Sanageyama?" Ryuko asks him curiously, opening the bottle and gulping it down.

"He's in back sleeping. The guy was training since he got up this morning. It's about time he crashed," Gamagoori tells her.

Gamagoori and Sanageyama are the co-owners of the gym. They also live here. In the back of the gym, there's a door that says, "AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY". That door opens to a short hallway, which leads to an office, but also a bedroom with two beds where Gamagoori and Sanageyama sleep.

"Ah, I was going to ask him to spar with me, but I guess he's out of commission, so…" Ryuko trails off with a short laugh.

Gamagoori snorts, crossing his arms over his chest as he scowls down at Ryuko, making their size difference more noticeable. "What, am I not good enough?"

Ryuko lets out a nervous laugh, saying, "No, no, not at all," holding her hands up for peace while straining her neck to look up at him. Ryuko may not be small; she's 5'6" and very well-built, but still, compared to the giant Gamagoori, she looks scrawny.

"If you say so, Matoi," Gamagoori scoffs half-jokingly, shrugging his shoulders and leaving the room. Ryuko gulps. She knows he's annoyed whenever he calls her by her last name.

_Stupid_, Ryuko thinks, mentally kicking herself.

She glances at the clock on the wall. 3:34 PM. She remembers walking in at 12:15 PM. Ryuko sighs and swallows another gulp of cool, refreshing water before heading over to the showers. On a Sunday afternoon, the gym is often filled with people running on treadmills, pumping iron, and pounding on punching bags, but today, the gym is almost deserted. Only a handful of regulars, including herself. She waves to them with a friendly smile as she walks to the back of the gym where the showers are.

When Ryuko is done with her shower, she puts on her workout clothes again. She would normally put on her everyday attire, but today is Sunday, so she goes to the Laundromat to wash her everyday clothes. She grabs her grey and black duffle bag out of her locker and slings it over her shoulder. She then takes out her skateboard and holds it under her arm as closes her locker and walks out of the gym.

Once on the sidewalk, Ryuko sets down her skateboard and steadily places a foot on the board, pushing off on her other foot and skating down the street. As she skates, her mind wanders, reflecting on her difficult past. She remembers her mother and the cruel way she treated her as a kid. She'd beat her if she didn't do what she was told. She would beat her excessively hard whenever she was drunk, which was very often. Nowadays, Ryuko thinks of it as good riddance when she was kicked out of the house, but back then, she was devastated.

_"__Mom, I… I have something I need to tell you," sixteen year old Ryuko said to her Mom nervously._

_"__What do you want?" her Mom sighed as she turned to face her daughter from her seat on the couch._

_"__Well, um, I…" Ryuko stammered nervously, unable to release the two simple words that were jammed in her throat. She looked away from her mother, trying to muster up the courage._

_"__Spit it out!"_

_Ryuko took a deep breath and put her fears aside, saying, "I'm gay."_

_"__You're what?!" her Mom gasped in shock. Her next words were filled with anger and resentment. "You're a lesbian?!"_

_Ryuko flinched at her mother's aggressive tone. "Uh, yeah." Ryuko's deep blue eyes clearly showed her fear. Unfortunately, her worst fears became reality._

_"__I will not have a lesbian daughter! Get out of my house, you sick little bitch!" her mother hollered._

_"__Wait, please!" Ryuko begged, her heart sinking to her stomach._

_Without another word,she grabbed Ryuko by her hair and dragged her to the door of the apartment. She threw her out the door and then shut it behind her, leaving a sobbing Ryuko sprawled out on the concrete._

_She stayed by the door until morning, thinking that when her Mom came outside to get the paper, she'd apologize or if not, at least let her stay in the house. Instead of waking up to a mother full of pity, she woke up to a sharp pain in her side from a harsh kick by an ignorant and relentlessly abusive mother._

_"__What the hell are you still doing here? Beat it!" her mother barked, threatening another kick before Ryuko scrambled to her feet and ran away in terror._

Ryuko shudders as she recalls the agony she felt those first few months on the streets of Vale. She didn't have _anything_. Her Mom didn't exactly give her a minute to pack her stuff before shoving her out the door. She had to beg for money so that she could live. Life was hard for young Ryuko.

She first met Sanageyama outside the gym when she was being harassed by a pack of men. "Pack" is an appropriate word to describe them, because, well, the way they were treating the young defenseless girl, they were practically _dogs_. Sanageyama fought them off and, after they ran off, offered to teach Ryuko how to defend herself. He didn't offer her a home only because he could barely afford to live as it was. So, instead, he taught her how to fight. Mixed Martial Arts was something Ryuko had always been interested in, but never got to try out, so she was pretty excited. Sanageyama was a rough teacher, but nevertheless a great one. He molded Ryuko into a strong young woman. After about two months of training, he told Ryuko about this place called The Arena that organizes fights. He told her it could serve as a form of income, especially since they didn't give a damn who or what you were as long as you could fight and provide entertainment to the audience. Sanageyama took her there and entered her to fight. She went up against a man who looked like he was on steroids. Despite the differences in raw power, Ryuko beat him with her speed and agility, dodging his slow and sloppy attacks until he grew tired and then got knocked out from a single right hook. The cash prize was a small; we're talking, like, fifty bucks, but still, Ryuko gave Sanageyama half in thanks for everything he did for her. Sanageyama got the once scared, depressed, and fragile Ryuko to rise up and become a brave, fierce brawler and this was her way of repaying him. He told her she was welcome to come to the gym whenever she wanted, free of charge.

Ever since then, she's being hanging out at the gym every Wednesday and Sunday, honing her skills, and also taking advantage of the free showers.

Ryuko smiles, knowing that she wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. He helped her develop a rhythm and start rebuilding her life from the ground up… literally.

Once she reaches the Laundromat about two blocks away, she stops and holds her board under her arm again. She steps in and walks over one of the washing machines in the middle of the room. She then sets down her stuff, her skateboard leaning against the side of her duffle bag. She reaches into the bag and pulls out a clear plastic bag with about three handfuls of change. She digs out four quarters and puts them into the machine.

When Ryuko takes out her dirty, worn clothes and puts them in the washer, she gets the feeling of someone's eyes on her. Curious, she looks over her shoulder at a pale-skinned young woman, who looks to be around Ryuko's age, which would be twenty.

The girl wears a white shirt under a black vest, light grey shorts over black leggings that fade into a deep purple halfway down the calves, and high-heel shoes. She has hair as black as night that falls effortlessly in waves halfway down her slender but solid back. The girl's golden amber eyes flicker as she stares at Ryuko, intrigued.

Ryuko avoids her stare, convinced that the only reason she has her attention is because of the horrible condition her clothes are in. She's sure she can tell she's homeless. In an attempt to hide her embarrassment, Ryuko leans her back against one of the other washing machines and crosses her arms over her chest. She takes a quick look at the woman and gives her a casual nod.

The woman starts to feel the heat rise in her cheeks. She looks away for a minute, trying to regain her composure.

Ryuko doesn't notice her blushing and, thinking she turned away because she felt uncomfortable, which isn't entirely false, says in a snappy tone, "Yeah, I know. I look like crap. You would too if you lived on the streets for a long time."

The girl's eyebrows rise in surprise at the outburst. "Oh, I'm sorry."

Ryuko, realizing she was being rude to this girl for no good reason, sighs and says, "It's alright, it was rude of me to snap at you. You didn't do anything wrong."

The girl takes a second to really look at her. Her stocky build makes her look more like a teenage boy than a young woman; she could be mistaken for one if she had a flat chest and if her hair was a tad shorter. Her abs that can only be described as "washboard" showed clearly under the form-fitted beater.

_Wow, she's attractive_, Blake thinks, disregarding her messy clothes. She's impressed that someone without a roof over their head could maintain such a great shape.

"So, what's your name?" Ryuko asks, curious about her, but also just wanting the time to pass quicker as she waits for her laundry to be done.

"Blake. Blake Belladonna," she answers.

_Blake. Huh, it's cool, but isn't that a masculine name?_ Ryuko thinks.

"That's a cool name," Ryuko says.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

They make small talk until a dryer buzzes, catching Blake's attention. She takes out a huge bunch of clothes and sets them down on a table to fold them. When she finishes, she puts the clothes in a large department store bag and starts to leave, but then she stops and turns to face Ryuko, saying, "It was nice meeting you… um…"

Ryuko, suddenly remembering that she never told Blake her name, chimes in and says, "Ryuko."

"Ryuko," Blake repeats with a slight smile, the first one she displayed since they met.

And with that, Blake leaves the shop and walks across the street, Ryuko watching from the glass windows with red cheeks.

_Damn, the way she said my name_… Ryuko thinks.

* * *

Later that night, Ryuko skates over to the park. The soft cool breeze flows through her hair as she skates over to her usual spot. She stands in a grassy area of the park with one large majestic tree that could probably support an epic tree house. She stuffs her skateboard into her duffle bag, zipping it closed.

She then backs up a bit, slinging the bag across her back. She takes a deep breath and then gets a running start, pressing her foot flat on the tree trunk and using her momentum to leap up to the thickest branch. She heaves herself up onto it, unzipping the bag and pulling out her sleeping bag and rope. She puts the bag up to another branch, this one barely within her reach and sits down with her legs in the sleeping bag. She leans her back against the trunk of the tree and stretches her legs comfortably along the length of the branch. She then wraps her rope around her legs and the branch to keep from falling out of the tree in her sleep.

Inhaling, she rests her hands in her lap and gazes up at the full moon, which lights up the night along with the thousands of stars in the dark sky.

_The park has such a beautiful view of the sky_, Ryuko thinks, admiring the scene.

The busy city of Vale usually has the sounds of car engines and horns filling the air, but here in the park, the world is quiet, tranquil. Everything around her is wrapped in blissful silence.

Ryuko lets a smile cross her face as she goes over the events of the day that is coming to an end. Everything about her day was normal, but one thing stood out to her. That Blake girl. Something about her is so intriguing.

_"__Ryuko."_ Blake's voice echoes. Ryuko's cheeks start to warm up.

Ryuko snaps out of it. _Get her out of your head. It's not like you'll ever see her again._

She shakes her head and sighs. She closes her eyes and rests her head back against the rough bark.

Despite how uncomfortable it is, Ryuko always spends her nights in the trees, for one reason: it's safer than the ground. She learned that the hard way her first year. She once got robbed – of all people, robbing a homeless person… really?! – while she was asleep. She had five bucks worth of change, a few dollar bills and a cheap bag. All of it was gone when she woke up that morning. She also got jumped four weeks later. She had just started training with Sanageyama one week prior. Two guys grabbed her and pulled her into an ally and started wailing on her. Ryuko only managed to fend off a few of many blows. Just as Ryuko was shifting in and out of consciousness, she heard a deep voice scream at them and they took off. This deep voice belonged to Gamagoori. He was on a midnight stroll around town when he heard Ryuko's distressed cries. As soon as he rushed up to her and asked if she was okay, she passed out.

So, yeah, the trees it is.

Ryuko relaxes her muscles and slowly dozes off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The glare of sunlight rouses Ryuko from her slumber. She yawns and unties the rope around her legs, slipping them out of her sleeping bag, rolling it up and stuffing it and the rope in her duffle bag after taking her skateboard out. She places the old and worn board on her lap while she rubs her eyes and stretches out.

Ryuko looks up at the sky, which is now bright blue with the start of the day. She packs up her stuff and carefully leaps down from the tree, walking out of the park to the nearest coffee shop. She buys herself a coffee and a bagel before making her way over to the library, where she usually spends her Mondays. Nowadays, she can afford to buy stuff from the money she earns from fighting at The Arena. It's still not enough to rent an apartment, but it's enough to buy some things. Near the end of her first year on the streets, she saw an out-of-date MP3 player on sale for, like, eighty bucks, so she bought it, along with ear buds, all from her savings, or rather, a plastic bag full of dollar bills marked "Use for emergency". She had to live off of the dollar menu at the local fast food place for next two weeks, but it was more than worth it. Even though music wasn't a need, – let alone an emergency – it was something that preserved her sanity through the years. Listening to the radio also kept Ryuko up with what's new in music, so she never felt "out of the loop". Well, at least not completely.

* * *

Meanwhile, Blake is stirring. She slowly opens her eyes, the soft amber glow of her eyes filling the darkness of the room. She yawns and sits up, looking around her room. It isn't much. Just a twin bed, a nightstand, a dresser, and a small bookcase, all squished into a room just barely two times larger than a handicapped bathroom stall. Still, she appreciates it. She remembers how years ago, she'd been just like Ryuko. She'd been on the streets before. She was seventeen. All she had was a pocket full of change and a thin blanket. She spent her nights under the overpass at the edge of the city where the highways were. Those days were hell.

There's a knock at the door, startling Blake, followed by a voice that calls, "Hey, Blake, are you awake in there?"

Blake, momentarily puzzled, peers at the digital alarm clock blaring in red: 9:20 AM.

"Uh, yeah, I just forgot to set my alarm," Blake calls back, knowing who the voice belongs to.

"Seriously, I got up early to take you to the library and you _just_ woke up? Jesus," the voice groans, somewhat annoyed.

"Just give me a ten minutes and I'll be right out, Yang," Blake says with a roll of her eyes.

_Waking up early? Give me a break. You sleep all day_, Blake thinks, stretching out before getting out of bed.

After washing up in the bathroom, she gets dressed in a dark purple V-neck tee and black leggings. She slips on her black high heel shoes and steps into the kitchen where Yang waits, drinking a cup of coffee at the table.

Yang glances up from her cup and looks at Blake. She gives her a nod hello and sips down some coffee.

Blake sits down across from her. There's a cup of coffee sitting in front of her in seconds.

"Thank you," Blake says, taking it and sipping down the hot liquid. Blake looks up from her cup at Yang.

She has wild golden blond hair that falls all the way down to the small of her back. She has a busty figure and a charming round face to match it. She has muscles, not nearly as much as Ryuko's, but she has enough to be recognized for it. But what _really_ make her stand out are her naturally lilac purple eyes. The color is extremely rare, but undeniably beautiful. She wears a russet brown jean jacket unbuttoned over a yellow low-cut tee with a black fire emblem over the left breast, black shorts that don't even go halfway down her thighs, – one could almost say they were a size to small – and light brown two inch heel boots that crawl just about all the way up her calves.

Yang and Blake are good friends. They met a couple years ago when Blake was on the streets. She took her in and they've been roommates ever since.

As soon as Blake and Yang finish their coffee, they get ready to go. They aren't the only ones who live here. Yang's younger sister Ruby lives with them, along with their friend Weiss. They walk out of the apartment building and over to Yang's yellow and black motorcycle, which she appropriately named "Bumblebee."

They hop on and Yang rides off towards the library. When they arrive, they walk in. Yang, not really into reading books, sits down at one of the computers and starts watching internet videos.

As Blake is looking at books, she notices a girl with black hair and a streak of crimson sitting down at a table with her nose in a book.

_Ryuko?_ Blake thinks, almost dropping the drama/romance novel she held in her hand. She turns away and tries to ignore her, walking over to another table and opening her book.

She steals a glance at Ryuko from afar. She is wearing a white t-shirt under an unzipped black leather street jacket, baggy dark wash blue jeans and her dirty white sneakers. Blake just notices the red fingerless glove on her left hand.

_Wow, for a homeless girl, she really keeps up her appearances. Looks cool, like a badass biker from an action movie_, Blake thinks to herself.

Blake starts to feel her cheeks turn red. She immediately snaps herself out of it, looking back down at her book. Unable to help it, she looks again. Blake thinks it over for a minute and then stands up, walking over to her.

Ryuko, who's lost in the book, doesn't notice Blake sit next to her until she speaks.

"Hey, are you stalking me?" Blake asks, half-jokingly. Ryuko looks up from her book, nearly jumping out of her skin when she sees who's talking to her.

Ryuko blushes and trips over her words, trying to keep it together. "Huh? No, no, no. This... this is where I usually spend my Mondays. T-That's all." Ryuko gives her a nervous smile.

Blake rolls her eyes, amused. "Okay."

"It's the truth," Ryuko tells her, her flush deepening.

"Anyway," Blake starts, trying to think of something to say, "how's the book?"

Ryuko peers down at her book. She smiles and says, "It's really good."

"What's it about?"

"Oh, um, it's about this heroine that has to save the world from demons."

"Cool."

Blake starts a conversation with her. Ryuko is happy to talk to someone new since the only friends she has are Sanageyama and Gamagoori. Also, something about the girl is so interesting; something about the way she looks at her with her shining amber eyes.

Blake thinks it over for a moment and realizes that she wants to get to know this girl more too.

"I was wondering…" Blake hesitates.

"Yeah?" Ryuko says, waiting patiently for Blake to finish her sentence.

Without another thought, Blake says, "Can you have your number?"

Ryuko gives her a puzzled yet amused gaze before replying, "I don't have a cell phone."

Blake's face turns beet red from embarrassment.

_Why did I say that? Idiot!_ Blake thinks as she mentally face-palms.

There's a long awkward silence before Blake stammers, "R-Right. Sorry, I just…"

Ryuko laughs. "It's alright. When are you free?"

Blake gapes at Ryuko in shock. Quickly regaining her composure, she thinks about her schedule this week. She's all booked until Friday night.

"Friday night," Blake tells her.

Ryuko says, "Okay, then, I have a question."

Blake raises an eyebrow in anticipation.

"Do you like martial arts? Like, you know, watching it Live?" Ryuko asks.

Blake nods, thinking about how she used to take karate lessons as a little kid. She was gifted. She rose up the ranks quicker than anyone else in her class.

"Cool, then come to this address," Ryuko says, pulling out a pen and piece of paper from the outer pocket of her duffle bag. She jots down the address, labeling it The Arena and handing it to Blake.

"Okay. What time should I show up?" Blake asks.

"Um…" Ryuko starts, in deep thought.

_Let's see, so I usually get there at around nine and I almost never fight right away. They always have me go somewhere in the middle, either that or last, so around ten should be good… well, maybe nine thirty just to be safe_, Ryuko thinks.

"9:30 PM," Ryuko finally answers. "By the way, the guys that go to these kinds of places run more on alcohol than sense, so, I'm just letting you know, it's not the best place to go to alone," Ryuko adds.

Blake snorts. "I can take care of myself."

Ryuko holds her hands up in surrender. "I'm just warning you, that's all. I'm not saying anything like that, I swear."

"Alright," Blake says with a short laugh and a smile. Ryuko's cheeks flush.

"You have a nice smile," Ryuko blurts.

Blake, caught off guard by the sudden compliment, doesn't reply at first. Ryuko panics and covers her mouth and looks away, asking herself what possessed her to say that out loud.

"Thank you," Blake says at last.

Ryuko's face reddens. "Y-You're welcome."

"Well, I should get going. I'll see you on Friday, then."

"Yeah, see you there," Ryuko smiles as Blake stands up and walks away.

As Blake is walking away, she notices Yang crossing her arms over her chest and giving her a knowing look.

"Who was that?" Yang asks.

Blake's face flushes as she mumbles, "No one."

"Really?" Yang questions with a crooked smile, leaning in closer to her and whispering in her ear. "Blake, you're blushing."

Blake turns away from her. "Shut up."

Yang bursts out into laughter, getting half a dozen glares from other people reading. They all shush her. Yang bites her lip, fighting it back while Blake holds back the urge to punch her in the gut.


	2. The Executioner

When Ryuko walks into the gym on Wednesday, she sees Sanageyama is sparring with Gamagoori in the ring in the center of the gym. After Sanageyama spots Ryuko by the entrance, he waves, leaving him completely open to Gamagoori's punch to the kidney. Sanageyama staggers back, clutching his side.

Ryuko lets out a laugh before walking up to the ring, looking up at them with her hands in her pockets.

"Hey, guys," Ryuko says with a friendly smile.

"Hey, Ryuko-kun," Sanageyama grins, the slender young man leaping down to greet her.

He scratches his head, ruffling his shaggy dark green hair. He wears a green sleeveless shirt with light grey sweatpants, white sneakers, and a silver chain around his neck. It's not far different from the clothes he usually wears every day. Add a white biker jacket and replace the light grey sweatpants with white jeans; that's what he wears all the time.

His emerald green eyes peer at her in shock when she sets down her duffle bag and says, "Come on, Sanageyama, let's spar."

"Um, sure," he says, turning to Gamagoori with a cocky grin, "I'll finish you off later."

"We'll see about that," Gamagoori scoffs, exiting the ring and sitting down on one of the chairs off to the side to watch.

Sanageyama turns to face Ryuko again, who takes off her street jacket and pulls herself up to the ring.

"Why so eager to fight me? Did something happen?" Sanageyama asks, concerned. He leaps into the ring and stands a few yards away from Ryuko.

"I guess you could say that," Ryuko shrugs, putting her fists up.

"I suppose you'll tell me later," Sanageyama sighs, putting his guard up to mirror Ryuko's.

Ryuko lunges, throwing a punch at Sanageyama's face. Sanageyama ducks and attempts to knee her in the gut, but Ryuko deflects it with her left forearm, countering with a fist to _his_ gut. Sanageyama winces, but quickly recovers, attacking her with a barrage of jabs, all of which Ryuko either deflects or dodges. Sanageyama narrows his eyes. He can tell something is different about the way she's fighting. She never just charges right in at first. He steps in and kicks her in the side. She staggers back, but rebounds with a swift jump kick to the face, one that Sanageyama did not see coming, sending Sanageyama stumbling back until his ass hits the floor.

"Okay, what's up? Did someone piss you off?" Sanageyama asks.

"What? No, nothing like that," Ryuko assures him.

"Then what is it?" he presses, leaping to his feet and spitting out the blood from his mouth. He's known Ryuko for years. He can see through her like glass.

"It's nothing. I… I just want to… impress someone," Ryuko says, mumbling that last part so quietly Sanageyama can barely hear her. Ryuko's cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

Sanageyama gives her a puzzled look. "Who are you trying to impress?"

"Just some girl," Ryuko replies, shrugging it off like it's no big deal to her.

Sanageyama gives her a sly stare. "_Oh!_ I see!"

Ryuko turns as red as her streak of crimson hair.

"What's her name?"

"Blake."

"Huh? Wait. Isn't that a-"

Ryuko cuts him off, knowing what he's about to say. "Yeah, that's what I thought at first, but it works for her. She's beautiful." Ryuko breathes. A few seconds pass before Ryuko covers her mouth, realizing what she just said. She quickly recovers, "I mean, in a _non_-romantic way. I don't _like_ her or anything like that." She looks away and crosses her arms over her chest, blushing uncontrollably.

Sanageyama laughs. "Riiight."

Ryuko's blush deepens.

* * *

On Friday night, Blake is getting ready, putting on her black vest over her white tank top. She looks in the full-length mirror by the door. She wears the exact same outfit she wore the day they met at the Laundromat. She starts to wonder whether she should change her clothes, but omits the thought since this is the best non-formal outfit she has.

"Ohhh, Blaaake~" Yang calls in a singsong voice, bursting into the room with a wide grin. Her eyes dart around her body like a scanner.

"What do you want?" Blake mumbles, her cheeks flushing.

"Damn, you look good," Yang says, quickly changing subjects, "are you ready to go?"

"Yes, just give me a minute, Yang," Blake says, annoyed as she pushes Yang out of her room and closes the door on her. She lets out a sigh and looks into the mirror again, brushing her silky black hair behind her ear.

From the other side of the door, Yang snickers and walks into the living room, sitting down on the couch to wait for her.

_Man, I've never seen her like this before. Not for Sun. Not for Velvet. Not even for Adam! This girl must be something special_, Yang thinks, kicking her feet up onto the coffee table.

After a few minutes, Blake comes out of her bedroom. "Let's go," she says.

"Alright."

* * *

When Yang's motorcycle stops by the door of the brick building, she gives Blake a sly look.

"Have fun~" Yang grins.

Blake blushes as she gets off the bike and walks to the end of the line, which goes down almost to the intersection.

_Wow, this is a busy place_, Blake thinks to herself.

The line shortens as the minutes pass. When she gets to the front, Blake takes out her ID and gives it to the bouncer.

He looks at her ID, nods and returns it to her before he lets her in.

When she walks in, she's overwhelmed by the huge crowd surrounding a boxing ring, which is on a raised platform so everyone can see. To the side is a bar area where a bunch of guys sit drinking beer and cheering. An announcer in the center of the ring is holding a wireless microphone in his hand, trying to get the crowd pumped for the next match.

Blake searches the throng of people for Ryuko. When she can't see her, she thinks that maybe she'll hear her, so she calls out her name a few times.

_Where is she? It's past 9:30 PM. She should be here by now_, Blake thinks.

Sanageyama, who came to see her fight this week, watches from near the front of the pit, but then hears a feminine voice calling Ryuko's name, so he turns around and looks for the source of the calls. When he sees Blake, he weaves his way through the crowd.

_Did… did I just get stood up?_ Blake thinks, her heart cracking a bit. _And here I thought she was a nice person._

Just as she's about to leave, Sanageyama taps her on the shoulder and asks with a friendly smile, "Hey, are you Blake?"

Blake, not recognizing the man, doesn't let her guard down, even when his disarming smile argues otherwise. "Uh, yeah. Why? Who are you?"

"I'm Sanageyama, Ryuko's mentor and good friend. She was right. You _are _beautiful," Sanageyama says.

Blake blushes, thinking, _she said that?_

She snaps out of it and says, "Do you know where Ryuko is? She said to come here, but I don't see her anywhere."

"Oh, don't worry, you'll see her soon. Just be patient," Sanageyama tells her cryptically.

Blake slightly cocks her head to the side, confused, but does what he says and waits, scanning the crowd for her, her eyes locking on the entrance in case she walks in.

"Alright, everybody! Here comes the main event! Are! You! Ready?" The announcer shouts out.

The crowd roars wildly in response, Blake covering her ears to preserve her ability to hear.

"Okay! Let's get this thing started! He's BIG! He's BAD! Give it up, for The Drrrrrrrrraaaaaagooon!" the announcer booms. _I Stand Alone_ by _Godsmack_ blasts through a dozen large speakers that surround the room. The crowd roars as a bright light from the ceiling shines down to the left corner of the room, everyone making way for a young bald guy who looks like he's on steroids. He throws his hands up in the air, letting out a fierce battle cry. He jumps around riotously as he makes his way up to the ring. When he reaches the ring, he stands on the corner ropes and roars with his arms outstretched, almost as if he's trying to breathe fire. When he jumps down and turns around, Blake sees the reason he calls himself "The Dragon." A large black tribal dragon is tattooed into the skin of his back.

"And now! For our challenger! Give it up, for The ONE! The ONLY! The Eeeeeexecutioneeeerrrr!" The crowd roars twice as loud as _Down With The Sickness_ by _Disturbed_ blasts out, replacing the previous song. The room seems to be filled with a totally different energy than before.

When the bright light shines on the brawler, Blake's jaw drops, staring at Ryuko wearing her black street jacket over a black beater and tan cargo shorts that almost reach her knees. Ryuko doesn't put on much of a show, wearing a focused scowl on her face, until she climbs up onto the stage leaping up to the top of the corner with a smirk, balancing effortlessly on her two feet while she throws her hands up, silencing the crowd. If Blake thought the crowd's cheering was loud, she had another thing coming. The silence is _deafening_.

Ryuko waits for the scream from the singer and then does a triple corkscrew back flip and the moment her feet touch the floor of the ring, both the music and the crowd explode out in a crazed frenzy. Sanageyama, who was watching Blake out of the corner of his eye, waiting for her reaction, tries his hardest to hold back his laughter and ends up failing, nearly losing his ability to stand as he cracks up. Blake ignores him, watching in shock as Ryuko as she casually takes off her jacket and tosses it to a staff member, who holds onto it.

Ryuko scans the crowd for Blake. Sanageyama pulls himself together and waves his arms up and calls her name, catching her attention. He points down at a gawking Blake. Ryuko gives her a thrilled grin before turning and facing her opponent, immediately blocking out everyone's screams and focusing her energy on him. Her opponent is almost as big Gamagoori. Just a few inches away.

The announcer rushes off the stage, an official taking his place. He tells the two to touch fists. They both touch fists and then back up, their eyes never unlocking, a fiery passion in The Dragon's eyes and deep focus in Ryuko's. She takes her stance and prepares to fight. As soon as the official gives the go to begin, the two of them circle each other, staring each other down.

"Just because you're a girl doesn't mean I'm gonna hold anything back. I am going to _crush_ you," The Dragon taunts.

Ryuko lets out a short laugh, taunting him back. "Okay, then let's see what you've got, tough guy."

The Dragon grinds his teeth and charges at her. Ryuko smirks. When his fist flies at her face, she swerves off to the right, casually tripping him. He staggers and falls into the ropes, which bounce him back to his feet again, and just as he's turning around and about to counter, Ryuko lets loose a roundhouse kick to the face, which sends him back against the ropes. Ryuko doesn't allow him to recover, digging her fists into his sides in a barrage of jabs, finishing up with an uppercut to the chin.

The crowd roars as Ryuko steps back. The Dragon glares at her and clenches his fists. He runs at her and winds back his right fist for a right hook. Ryuko dodges by bending back. Before she can try to fight back, he throws another fist at her, aimed at her gut. She swerves to the left, pivoting on her right foot and, dropping to the floor and using her hands to keep her balance, plunges two feet into his side. He winces and steps back, but quickly recovering, throwing a barrage of jabs at her. Ryuko dodges every one with ease. She steps back and then unleashes a hurricane kick, sending The Dragon onto his back.

"Get 'em!" Sanageyama shouts. Ryuko does just that. As he starts to get up, and despite the substantial differences in size, she manages to tackle him and take the fight to the ground. At first, he pins her with a full nelson, but Ryuko gets out of it by using his bulky arms as bars to give her leverage to swing her right leg up and behind her to hit him in the nose. He releases his grip on her and Ryuko turns around to tackle him again. This time, she gets the upper hand, grabbing him in a half-nelson and using her free arm to pull his arm – the same arm to which Ryuko is applying the half nelson – across his face. She then locks her hand to her wrist behind The Dragon's neck, pinning him in a cobra clutch.

"Come on, Ryuko-kun!" Sanageyama cheers as The Dragon struggles against her iron grip. Then, after useless bucking that cause his face to start turning blue, he manages to get into a position where he can kick her in the gut, forcing the air out of Ryuko's lungs as releases her grip and jumps back. After gasping for air, he gets to his feet and he winds back a fist. Ryuko prepares to dodge the attack. As his fist gets close, she swerves to the left, shocked when he feints it and then digs his other fist into the right side of her ribcage, a loud cracking sound ensuing. She yelps in agony as she winces and staggers back, a sharp pain reverberating throughout her body.

Sanageyama's excited grin quickly shifts to a frown.

With Ryuko overcome with pain, he follows it up with a pair of jabs to the gut and a right hook, sending Ryuko onto her side. The Dragon leaps up and aims an elbow at the ground, dragging his weight with him as he dives down. Acting on impulse, she scrambles to her feet and jumps away just in the nick of time. Ryuko then backs away to the opposite corner of the ring to catch her breath.

"That… all you've got? And here I thought this would actually be a challenge," Ryuko sneers in an attempt to protect her pride. She almost never gets hurt like this. She's usually so careful. Lately though, she'd been far more reckless.

She isn't given long to recuperate after that since The Dragon springs to his feet and charges after her like a really, _really_ pissed-off bull.

_He's fast for such a huge dude_, Ryuko thinks, spitting some blood out before readying her stance. She dodges his first few punches, but then gets kneed in the kidney and socked in the jaw, spinning Ryuko's world into a blur as she collapses onto her back, still conscious but shaken up.

Blake gasps.

The official yells out the count.

1…2…3…4…

"Come on, Ryuko! Get up!" Blake shouts frantically.

Ryuko snaps out of her trance at the sound of Blake's voice. Filled with a new and wild determination, she forces herself onto her knees, ignoring the pain as she slowly but steadily rises to her feet, spitting some blood out to try to get rid of its metallic taste. She takes a deep breath, readying her stance. The Dragon narrows his eyes.

The crowd starts cheering.

Ryuko scowls at The Dragon, staring him down with a fire burning in her deep blue eyes. She double-taps the side of her jaw in a taunt. The crowd gets riled up at this provocative action. The Dragon grits his teeth in anger, mumbling something rather unkind under his breath.

Not willing to risk it, he declines her taunt, crossing his arms over his chest. Ryuko snorts, shrugs her shoulders and lunges at him, hitting him with a barrage of jabs to his mid-section and then following up with a right hook and another punch to mirror it. The Dragon stumbles. Ryuko gives him no time to recover, hitting him with another barrage of powerful jabs, the last one filled with the most force, causing him to bend forward, clutching his gut. To finish him off, Ryuko spins on her left foot, kicking her right leg out in a spinning axe kick, the side of her heel colliding with his right temple, a loud cracking sound echoing through the crowded arena as The Dragon is sent straight down to the floor, out cold.

The entire room falls silent for a split second, but then erupts into loud, chest-rumbling roaring.

The official gives the signal that he is unable to fight, grabbing Ryuko's right wrist and throwing it up. Ryuko catches her breath as she gazes into the audience, peering at Blake and Sanageyama, both of them cheering. Ryuko grins as she pumps her other fist in the air in triumph. When the official releases her wrist, Ryuko walks up to the edge of the ring, calling out to Sanageyama and Blake as she leans her weight against the ropes. They push their way up to the front. Sanageyama reaches up and gives Ryuko a high-five.

"Good job, Ryuko-kun!" Sanageyama smiles, straining his voice to be heard over the bellowing mass of people.

"Thanks!" Ryuko grins. "Meet me outside, guys. I'll be out in a few minutes."

Ryuko acknowledges the audience one last time – earning her another burst of energy from the crowd – before heading into the back with two staff members to clean up and collect her cash reward.

* * *

Sanageyama and Blake head outside to wait for Ryuko. As soon as Ryuko turns the corner after exiting through the back door, Sanageyama gets an idea. He suppresses a sly grin as he faces Blake and extends his hand out to shake. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Blake, but I have to get going."

"Alright, bye," Blake says, shaking his hand and then watching as he walks off with his hands in his pockets.

"Aw, is he leaving already?" a disappointed voice sighs.

Blake whips around in surprise and faces Ryuko. She wears her black street jacket over her beater, her duffle bag slung across her back.

"Uh, yeah. He told me he had go, so…" Blake says, trailing off, not knowing how to finish off the sentence.

"Oh well, I guess I'll see him at the gym Sunday," Ryuko says, shrugging her shoulders. She then looks into Blake's eyes, their soft amber glow boring into her own sapphire blue eyes. "Um, would you like to go for a walk with me?" Ryuko asks shyly, slipping her hands into her pockets.

"Sure," Blake says with a small smile.

* * *

"That was interesting. So, you're the 'Executioner'?" Blake says as they amble along a stone path in the middle of the park.

"Yeah, I am. Well, it's the nickname the guys who own the place gave me a couple years ago. And it stuck," Ryuko tells her.

"So, how long have you been, um…?" Blake starts hesitantly, not sure how to phrase it.

"Homeless?" Ryuko finishes. Blake nods. Ryuko continues. "Since my Mom kicked me out of the house when I was sixteen."

"Why would a mother do that?" Blake asks in disbelief.

Ryuko snorts. "One could _hardly_ call her a 'mother'. She was a bitch. Abusive. Rude. Drunk more often than sober. I came out to her and she wasn't too happy about it, so she _literally _kicked me out."

Blake can feel her heart crack inside her chest as she hears her say this. "Wow." She can't think of anything else to say.

"But it's fine. Nowadays, I'm not that bothered by it. One, she got what she had coming to her. It's a long story and I'm not completely comfortable telling you about something _that_ personal," Ryuko starts, feeling her mind drift as she thinks about what happened.

Ryuko's mother was drunk late that Friday night. She was walking home from the casino after blowing all of her money on the slot machines. She was walking home because she bet on her car and lost. She was crossing the intersection, but she was so disoriented that she didn't notice that the crosswalk had its red stop signal on. A driver of a large truck was speeding ten miles above the speed limit. He was in a rush to get home, but that's no excuse. Neither Ryuko's mother nor that driver noticed each other's presence before it was far too late. She was pronounced dead when the ambulance came. Ryuko had just turned 18 a few weeks ago, so she couldn't be placed in a foster home instead of staying on the street. How convenient. All of their family flew in from across the country to go to her funeral, but Ryuko refused to go. To go would be to say that she respected her, and obviously, what she felt towards her mother was _nowhere_ near respect. Ryuko was cast out like a dog, forced to fend for herself in a city that wasn't always a safe place. She _hated_ her. She hated her so much sometimes it would ache. As time passed, these strong feelings lessened, but for a very long time, Ryuko was an awfully _bitter_ human being.

Snapping out of it, she continues. "Two, I honestly don't _mind_ being out here on my own. It's okay. I get to fall asleep under the stars. I get to roam the streets of Vale without a care in the world. And I'm not _completely_ alone," Ryuko says, staring up at the starry night, the moon's light reflecting in her eyes.

_Not that I wouldn't trade it for a real home_, Ryuko thinks to herself.

"Yeah, that Sa… um, Sana…" Blake stammers, not remembering his long, difficult name.

"Sanageyama? Yeah, he's a good friend of mine," Ryuko says, letting a slight smile cross her face as she looks at Blake.

"So, your friend back there said you called me beautiful," Blake tells her, watching for her reaction.

It's priceless.

Ryuko stumbles, nearly face-planting, her face turning a dark shade of red as she looks away from her. "Did he now? I see, I'll kick his ass later."

Blake snickers. If Ryuko's cheeks could possibly get redder, they would be. "Anyway, how are you holding up?" Blake asks, concerned.

Ryuko regains her composure and says, "Oh, it hurts like hell, but I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I've had ten times worse." Lie. This is the worst she's ever been as far as her mind can recall.

The icy cold breeze blows in their faces, making Blake shudder and hug her arms. Ryuko sees this and takes her duffle bag off her back so that she can slip off her jacket. Blake's eyebrows shoot up when Ryuko gently places the warm cozy jacket over her shoulders.

Blake opens her mouth to protest, but Ryuko puts a hand up to say it's alright.

"Please. You need it more than I do," Ryuko says with a kindhearted smile.

Blake's cheeks redden. "T-Thank you, but really, I think _you_ need it more than me."

Ryuko shakes her head and stops, holding out her hand. "Nope."

Blake stops walking and stares down at her hand with a mixture of puzzlement and uncertainty.

_Does she want me to take her hand?_ Blake wonders, feeling her heart jump. Her arm hesitates before reaching out, her fingers slipping into Ryuko's warm, soft hand. Blake's cheeks flush as she thinks, _Wow, she's so warm_.

"See?" Ryuko says with a smile.

"Yeah," Blake breathes.

"I've spent so many freezing nights out here, my body has adapted to it, and so I don't need it. I just wear it to look more presentable."

There's a long silence as they gaze into each other's eyes. Ryuko breaks the connection as she glances down at Blake's hand still in hers. She gazes back up at Blake and tries to hold back a smile to no avail. Blake notices this and blushes, snatching her hand away and avoiding her gaze.

After an amused Ryuko picks up her duffle bag, they start walking again. They talk a little more until Ryuko catches sight of the tree she normally sleeps in. She slows to a stop, Blake stopping too, confusion showing on her pale face.

"What's wrong?" Blake asks.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that, it's getting late and this is where I sleep, so…" Ryuko tells her before she hooks her thumb and points at the tree, her voice trailing off as she can't figure out a good way to finish her sentence.

"Oh, okay," Blake says, taking off Ryuko's jacket and handing it to her. "Um, thank you."

"No problem," Ryuko says, gazing deep into her golden eyes.

"Well, I should go." Blake says quickly, flustered. She turns around and starts fast-walking away.

"Blake," Ryuko calls.

Blake stops and looks at her, anticipating her next words.

"Good night," Ryuko tells her softly with a charming smile, causing Blake to blush.

"Good night," Blake says back, grinning as she backs up a few steps before turning her body around and beginning to walk away again, this time slow and relaxed.

Ryuko exhales and puts her jacket on, slinging her duffle bag across her back again, getting ready to run up to her spot.

Blake stops in her tracks, wondering when she'll see her again. She then starts wondering if she'll _ever _see her again. Not wanting that to happen, and also worried about Ryuko's wounds, she turns around and says, "Wait, since you're hurt, you can crash at my apartment for a while."

Ryuko turns around, the dismay plastered on her face.

"Um, well," Ryuko stammers, not knowing how to react. "Maybe I shouldn't. I mean-"

"No, no, I insist," Blake says before Ryuko can finish.

Ryuko doesn't answer at first, still in disbelief. Finally, she says, "O-Okay, thank you."

"You're welcome."

* * *

And so, Blake and Ryuko walk to her apartment. As soon as Blake takes out her key and opens the door, Yang springs up from the couch, rushing up to her.

Ryuko peers blankly at the blond, looking at her lilac purple eyes in wonder.

_Purple eyes? No way. Those have to be contacts_, Ryuko thinks to herself.

"Blake! I was worried about you! Why didn't you answer your cell phone?" Yang demands worriedly like she's her mother. As a confused Blake checks her cell phone, Yang's lilac eyes train on Ryuko, who looks like she's seen better days because of her wounds. "Jesus _Christ_, what happened to you? You look like shit."

"Yang!" Blake exclaims.

"It's okay," Ryuko assures Blake before facing Yang and telling her, "I fought at the Arena. Got pretty banged up."

She's about to comment on her injuries, but then pauses, doing a double-take. "Whoa, wait, you fight?" Yang says in awe, her eyes checking her out. _Well, that explains her muscles._

"Yeah."

"That's cool."

"My name's Ryuko. Ryuko Matoi. And you?" Ryuko says, holding out her hand.

"Yang Xiao Long," she replies with a firm handshake.

Blake chimes in. "Yang, I offered Ryuko to crash here for a while. Is that okay?"

Yang looks at Ryuko, not understanding the situation. "Don't you have your own place?"

Ryuko shakes her head.

"Aw, man, that sucks," Yang says sympathetically. Suddenly noticing that she hasn't let them in yet, steps aside and says, "Come on in." Blake and Ryuko walk into the apartment.

Ryuko drops her duffle bag on the floor and takes off her shoes before lying down on the couch with a groan, every muscle in her body throbbing in pain until everything suddenly relaxes. It's been years since she's lied down on a couch, or at least one with cushions.

"Do you need anything?" Blake offers, but she's already asleep.

_Wow, that was quick_, Blake thinks in shock.


	3. Dr Belladonna

That morning, Blake sits at the table eating blueberry pancakes for breakfast with Weiss and Ruby. After explaining everything to the two girls, – who were quite apprehensive when they saw a random butch girl asleep on their couch – Blake sighs, sipping down the rest of her coffee.

Ryuko begins to stir.

_Mmm, maple syrup_, she thinks as the sweet scent fills her nostrils. _Wait, what?_

Ryuko's eyes open, taking in her surroundings. She's lying down on the brown leather couch, and even though she remembers simply crashing down on her back without anything else, there is a white pillow supporting her head and a thin but soft navy blue blanket covering her from her feet to halfway up her chest. A few feet in front of the couch is an auburn wooden coffee table that spans half of the sofa's length. On its top are a bunch of random magazines and newspapers. Across from the couch is a medium-sized flat screen TV, which is sitting on a stand with clear cabinets, a DVD player, a videogame system, and a TV receiver inside on its shelves.

Ryuko struggles to sit up, fighting through the aching pain all over her whole body. She lets out a low groan in agony, catching Blake's attention from the kitchen.

"Oh, you're awake. Good morning, Ryuko. Did you sleep well?" Blake calls. Ryuko whips her head around to face the sound. A few yards behind the couch is a wooden table with Blake and two other girls sitting down, all three of them with plates in front of them. The two girls peer suspiciously at the battered brawny stranger on the couch, who stares right back at them.

"Um, good morning," Ryuko mumbles sleepily, still looking at the two girls sitting at the table. One of them is the exact opposite of Blake with her long, straight snowy white hair, icy blue eyes, and light blue sundress. Ryuko takes note of the scar over her left eye, even though she doesn't say anything regarding it. The other girl is a sharp contrast to the bright-colored young lady. She looks a little younger than Blake and the other mystery girl. She has straight short black hair with red dyed tips, which fall down and shape her cute round face. Her eyes are a luminous shining silver, boring into Ryuko's eyes in wonder. She wears a loosely-fit red hoodie and a pair of baggy black cargo pants. Ryuko shifts her glance to Blake, asking, "Um, Blake, who are these two?"

"Oh, they're our roommates. This is Weiss," Blake tells her, gesturing to the snowy-haired girl, "and this is Yang's younger sister Ruby." Blake gesturing to the younger girl. "You remember Yang from last night, right?"

"Yeah, I remember her. It's nice to meet you two," Ryuko nods, trying to get up, wincing as she fights through the sharp pain reverberating through her body. When Ryuko tries to take in a deeper breath, the pain sky-rockets, the peak of its intensity centered on her right side, causing her to yelp rather loudly.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Ryuko, pace yourself!" Blake exclaims, springing up from her chair and rushing over to Ryuko, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. "Take it easy."

"If you're that badly hurt, why aren't you at a hospital?" Weiss asks, basically questioning why she is here.

"Yeah, like I could _ever_ afford medical care," Ryuko groans in a sarcastic tone, carefully sitting back down as Blake recommends, another shockwave of pain flowing through her. "_Wow_, I feel like _death_."

"Are you in that much pain?" Weiss asks, mildly concerned.

Ryuko nods her head, letting another low moan escape her mouth as she clutches her side.

"You need some ice. One second," Blake says, walking over to the refrigerator and opening the freezer section, taking out a blue plastic ice pack and wrapping it in a paper towel. When she walks back over, she asks her, "Where does it hurt the most?"

"Right here," Ryuko says, pointing to where she is clutching her side.

"Let me see," Blake says.

Ryuko takes her hand off of her side and lets Blake lift up her shirt enough for her to see a large dark purple bruise over her right ribs.

"Oh, my _G-d_," Blake gasps with a frown. "Hold still, okay?"

Ryuko gulps as the ice pack comes closer to her wound. The second the frigid ice pack comes in contact with the wound, Ryuko flinches as she growls and swears in agony, jerking away from the touch. This startles the three girls, making them jump at the sound of Ryuko in pain.

"Are you alright?"

"Do I fucking _look_ alright?!" Ryuko snaps, glaring at Blake as she grits her teeth, trying to fight through the pain.

Blake ignores the comment, knowing it's just because she's in a lot of pain. "Something's _definitely_ broken," Blake tells her, worry washing over her.

"It's my ribs. It hurts to breathe in deep," Ryuko says in a low anguished moan.

"Hey, hey, could you guys keep it down? I'm _trying_ to sleep. What the hell is going on out here?" a sleepy voice complains. Everyone turns their heads towards Yang, who is leaning her right shoulder against the hallway wall in an orange tank top with a bright yellow fire emblem and grey boy shorts. Her tank top is cut short a couple inches above her belly button, showing off her flat abs. Out of the corner of Ryuko's eye, she can see Weiss' face turn as red as Ruby's hair dye as she stares at Yang. Ryuko tries to suppress sly grin, but ends up giving her a knowing look anyway. Weiss looks away when she realizes that Ryuko can see her face.

"Ryuko broke her ribs in the fight last night," Blake tells Yang with a sideways glance.

"Oh, shit. That's not good. Shouldn't we take her to the hospital?" Yang gasps, snapping out of her sleepy trance.

"No," Ryuko says, wincing as she sits forward and looks at Yang, "Fractured ribs are best treated at home. The best a doctor can do is wrap it up, and that's not always a very good idea."

"How do you even know all of this?" Weiss questions her.

"What do you think I do in my spare time? Sit around and twiddle my thumbs?"

"And what if I said yes?" Weiss inquires in an arrogant manner, crossing her arms.

Ryuko narrows her eyes, gladly answering her question, her tone equally as snappy. "Then I would say that I spend my Mondays at the public library. Half the time, I'm reading, but the other half, I'm on the computers looking things up on educational websites. Injuries are one of those things since I do put my body in harm's way more often than not."

All Weiss responds with is a prideful "Hmph."

"Come on, Weiss. Don't be that way," Yang tells her.

"Shut up, you brute," Weiss snaps.

Ryuko faces Blake and asks her quietly, "Is she always like this?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Blake whispers with a sigh, rolling her eyes. "Although sometimes she's nice."

"So," Weiss starts, "What else do you about broken ribs?"

"It's kind of hard to remember. I looked it up a long time ago."

"Yang, can I use your laptop?" Blake asks.

"Uh, sure," Yang says, disappearing into the hallway. Seconds later, she comes out with a bright yellow laptop tucked under her arm.

The girls pull up a medical website and research broken ribs.

Blake clears her throat and speaks, Ryuko listening as she eats breakfast at the kitchen table. "Okay, so, it says to get lots of rest, put ice on the injured area, take pain medicine like aspirin, and cough or take the deepest breath you can at least once an hour… what else does it say? Hmm… oh, it also says you should lie down on your injured side."

"Great, I _hate_ using ice," Ryuko grumbles under her breath.

"Oh? What happened to Ms. Used-to-cold-temperatures?" Blake says, raising an eyebrow in question.

Ryuko sighs with a grimace.

"Well, you're going to have to bear with it or it will take a lot longer than six weeks for your ribs to heal," Blake says.

"Yes, Dr. Belladonna," Ryuko mutters.

Blake rolls her eyes at her.

* * *

So, after Ryuko finishes her breakfast and takes an aspirin, she sits down on the couch so that Blake can tend to her wound. As Blake is getting the ice pack out of the freezer, Yang comes out into the living room, this time wearing her everyday clothes, and calls, "Hey, Blake, I'm taking Ruby to the library. Want to come?"

"No, thanks, but I should stay behind with Ryuko," Blake calls back, walking into the living room with the ice pack in her hand.

"Alright, suit yourself." The blond shrugs her shoulders as she stands by the front door. "Let's go, Ruby!" Yang yells out impatiently.

In seconds, the young girl speeds out into the hallway saying, "I'm ready!"

When the two sisters leave, Blake sits next to Ryuko. She says, "Okay, now please hold still."

Ryuko swallows hard and then nods. Blake gingerly presses the ice pack against Ryuko's wound, an intense stinging following. Ryuko bites her lip and hisses.

"Sorry, but you're going to have to deal with it. Keep that there for a half-hour."

"Okay," Ryuko says, her mind wandering. She frowns and stares down at the light grey carpeted floors. "How am I going to pull myself together enough to fight again tonight?"

"Ryuko, there's no way you can fight for a while. Not when you're like this. Right now, all you should worry about is getting better," Blake says in a soft and soothing voice, placing her hand on Ryuko's cheek to get her to look into her eyes.

Ryuko's cheeks turn bright red at the close proximity between them.

"Blake," Ryuko says.

"Yes?" Blake looks into her eyes, waiting for her to speak.

"Thank you… for taking me in."

Blake smiles. "You're welcome. I know how it feels. I've been there."

"Really?" Ryuko asks.

Blake nods. "I was eighteen. Yang found me outside the coffee shop one day and took me in."

Ryuko is shocked. She had no idea Blake had gone through being alone on the streets. The thought that Blake has felt the same pain she felt and still feels makes her comfortable and at ease around the beautiful girl.

Without thinking, Ryuko starts slowly leaning in towards Blake, who blushes but also drifts closer. Blake places her hand on Ryuko's thigh and inches herself near until the gap between them is almost completely closed. Their lips are centimeters away and just as they're about to meet, the sound of another person's voice causes them to jump back. "Hey, Blake? Can I borrow your… Oh, my G-d, Blake. Of all people, you chose _this_ ruffian?!"

Blake and Ryuko whip around to face Weiss, who's giving them a disgusted look, but it's mostly aimed at Ryuko in particular.

A deep blush spreads across Blake's face as she's about to deny having anything romantic going on with Ryuko, but Ryuko steps in, having something even better in mind. "You know, I wouldn't judge if I were you," Ryuko growls, grabbing the streak of crimson hair on her head before continuing, "because I seem to recall your face turning red as this strand of hair when the "Brute" came out here half naked. Am I right?" Ryuko finishes with a smirk. "But of course, I don't blame you. She _is_ a sexy beast."

"Why you! T-The _nerve_! How… _lewd _of you!" Weiss stammers, her face turning just as red as Ryuko had described in a mixture of embarrassment and irritation.

Ryuko winks in response, causing Weiss to flush even deeper and Blake to snicker.

"So, anyway, what is it you wanted with Blake, _Princess_?" Ryuko asks in a mocking tone.

After giving Ryuko a dirty look, she turns to face Blake, saying, "I'd like to borrow one of the books from your shelf, if that's okay."

Blake shrugs, calming herself down. "Yeah, that's fine."

"Thanks," Weiss says, disappearing into the hall.

Ryuko starts to chuckle, but then winces as a pain protests against the action. "Damn, it hurts to laugh."

"That's what you get. You just met Weiss and you're already getting off on the wrong foot," Blake scolds.

"Oh, come on, she called me a ruffian. Last time I checked, that is _not_ a compliment," Ryuko defends.

Blake sighs.

* * *

Two weeks later, Ryuko takes a nice walk around the city on the way to the gym wearing her white t-shirt and tan cargo shorts. Joining her is Yang, wearing a red t-shirt and black short shorts.

Over time, the two actually became good friends. Not with the same chemistry that Ryuko has with Blake, but still, they get along well. They are both active and they found that they had a couple other things in common. They're both gay. Then again, all five of the girls are gay… well, the four and an in-denial Weiss. So, basically, she counts as half. Anyway, they both like martial arts. They love the art of it and pretty much everything else about it.

However, it's not like Ryuko doesn't get along with the other girls. Weiss and Ryuko have made up and Ruby seems to look up to the brawler, admiring her physical capabilities and unmatched strength of mind. Ryuko and Blake are friends, even though both of them secretly want to be more than that.

Ryuko has gotten a lot better since that first morning. She can move around without having too much pain, even though putting her clothes on is sometimes an issue. Not as much as it was the first few days. Ryuko thinks back to that one time she actually had to ask Blake to help her get undressed. It was her third day staying over at their house and she had just gotten settled in.

_Ryuko's face turned dark red as she struggled to take off her shirt in the bathroom. She was trying to get in the shower that evening, but her handicap stood in her way. Just as she thought she had it, a shockwave of pain shot up her spine, causing her to mentally scream "Uncle" and finally give up._

Fuck, okay, this isn't going to work. It hurts too much_, Ryuko thought to herself._

_"__Blake!" Ryuko called, embarrassed that she had to do this, but she knew she needed some help. She wouldn't dare ask Yang since she'd act way too pervy about it and even though her little sister was much more innocent-minded, they weren't that close and Yang wouldn't like that anyway, and Weiss was kind of a bitch to her those past couple days, soooooo Blake it is._

_As expected, Dr. Belladonna appeared at the door. She knocked and asked, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"_

_"__Um… kind of… promise me you won't laugh or make things awkward or anything like that," Ryuko said quickly, already feeling the flush rise in her cheeks._

_She'd had a huge crush on Blake for a quite a while, but right after they almost kissed was when she finally put the pieces together that this beautiful twenty year old girl was special to her._

_"__I promise. What is it?" Blake swore, narrowing her eyes warily._

What would be so bad that I would make things awkward?_Blake wondered._

_"__I sort of… need help taking off my clothes," Ryuko said._

_Blake's face turned to a deep flush red as her eyes widened. As much as she hated to admit it, she was very interested in the brawler. She loved her eyes; the perfect deep shade of blue. She loved her smile; it shined brighter than the sun in the middle of July. Although also interested in her personality, she was also deeply curious about another "aspect" of Ryuko._

So, this is what she meant when she said making things awkward… well, crap_, Blake thought._

_"__Okay, sure, can I come in?" Blake said, gulping._

_"__Yeah, just open the door, but close it behind you. I don't want anyone to see me."_

_Blake took a deep breath and put her hand on the doorknob, opening the door and peeking inside. Standing by the clear glass shower door was Ryuko, looking away from Blake as the door closed again. The bathroom was decently sized; just big enough for three people to stand without there being fights over personal space. Still, the two girls felt crowded in there, not that they didn't secretly like the feeling._

_"__What do you need help with?" Blake asked, doing everything she could to control herself around her._

_"__My shirt. What a pain in the ass this is… or well… the ribs, I should say," Ryuko corrected._

_Blake rolled her eyes with an amused smirk and walked up to her. "Arms up."_

_"__Last time I tried that, my chest felt like it was burning," Ryuko informed her._

_"__Just do as much as you can without it becoming too uncomfortable," Blake sighed._

_Ryuko nodded and carefully lifted her arms up until she reached the point where she just couldn't go anymore, which was barely higher than her arms being parallel to the white tile floor. Blake's hands hesitated, gripping the cloth gingerly and shakily._

_"__Just hurry up. This is embarrassing," Ryuko moaned impatiently. And with that, Blake collected herself enough to lift her shirt up, slowly and steadily just in case. Blake couldn't resist looking down, breathless from what she saw. They certainly were washboard abs like she had thought to herself before, but this was unbelievable to her. It's not possible for a homeless person, especially a girl, to get this fucking ripped. Well, at least she thought it wasn't possible until she was staring at the living proof that contradicted the idea._

Wow, she's so damn hot_, Blake thought, losing control of herself for a second as she gently placed a fascinated hand on her abs, the hand exploring a little bit. Ryuko opened her mouth to protest this, but then chose to keep quiet since Blake hadn't crossed any boundaries just yet._

_To Blake, Ryuko was like a lightning bolt; dangerously beautiful. She could hardly contain herself around her, and no one has ever made her feel so vulnerable. The feeling was so lovely it scared her._

_Blake quickly snapped herself out of her trance, lifting the cloth up to where her arms were. She knew if her arms stayed like that, there was no way she could get it off._

_"__I'm sorry, but you're going to need to lift a little higher," Blake told her. Ryuko winced as she kept going higher until the pain just reached the silver-lining between bearable and excruciating. Blake quickly pulled it up, the cloth catching on the girl's chin at first, but then after Ryuko tilted her head to the side, the shirt slipped right off. She folded it up and placed it on the countertop. It was surprising that she folded it so neatly since her eyes were locked on her chest. Her loose white t-shirt made her breasts seem a lot smaller than they really were, sending Blake into momentary shock. "Um, anything else?" she choked out._

_Ryuko turned around in answer: She needed help with her bra too, obviously not capable of reaching behind her back. Blake's eyes widened at the sight of a huge scar on her back. It looked like it was from some kind of blade and the scar wasn't just a faint mark on the skin. It was a pitted slash that spanned all the way from the top of her left shoulder blade to the right side of the small of her back. Despite how scars usually don't compliment women, this one seemed to make Blake's heart jump. She wasn't sure how or when she got it, but damn, it made her look three times more attractive than she already was to her. Blake almost passed out right then and there, but Ryuko's voice got her back on track. "Do me a favor and don't look after you get it off. You and I are friends, but I'm not comfortable with you seeing that."_

_"__Yeah, of course." A part of Blake was greatly relieved, but that other part of her was screaming, "Damn it!"_

_Ryuko felt herself get more uncomfortable yet comfortable with Blake so close to her. It didn't make any sense to Ryuko. One half of her was a little edgy with being so indecently exposed, but her other half was welcoming it._

_Blake took a silent deep breath in an attempt to calm the rapid pounding of her heart and swiftly unhooked the bra, looking away almost immediately with her face turning a deep shade of red._

_"__Um, thank you. You can go now," Ryuko told her, feeling just as flustered as her._

_And without a moment of hesitation, Blake fled the room. She leaned her weight against the wall opposite the door, trying to get her heartbeat under control; she was certain that this much pressure combined with this speed could not possibly be healthy to have for very long. Back inside the bathroom, Ryuko felt the same way._

I suppose that was as comfortable as it was ever going to get_, Ryuko thought to herself._

Ryuko shakes her head to snap herself out of her daydream, knowing she would trip and fall if she didn't.

"Yo, Ryuko!" Yang calls from beside her, waving her hand in front of the girl's face.

"Huh?" Ryuko grunts, aware that she had missed everything Yang was saying before now.

"I just asked you if you were okay."

"Oh, yeah, I was just thinking."

"About what?"

Ryuko's face flushes. "Nothing."

Yang gives her a knowing look. "Really?"

"Yep, really. Now come on, I'll race you to the gym," Ryuko challenges.

Yang smirks. "Alright. If I win, you have to carry me home."

"And if_I_ win… hm… _OOHHH!_ I know! I've heard the guys at the apartment the next building over are going to have a huge party tonight, so if I win, you have to flash them for a full ten seconds from the balcony," Ryuko smirks.

Yang starts chuckling. "Oh, my G-d, you're _evil_, but you're on."

Ryuko lets loose a deep, sinister laugh, putting on her best super-villain expression. Yang snorts.

And so they stop for a second right as they finish crossing the street. The gym is all the way down to the end of the sidewalk. The two fighters share a moment of eye contact, nodding their heads, and then they simultaneously take off in a dead sprint.

Ryuko immediately starts to feel her chest squeezing her lungs, but she pushes on, staying toe-to-toe with Yang, who looks shocked with how fast Ryuko is, even when held back with three fractured ribs. Still, she doesn't let herself get intimidated and pushes herself even further, slightly pulling forward and two lengths past Ryuko. They're almost there and Ryuko feels her heart pound through her aching chest, her muscles screaming for her to slow down, so she admits defeat and gradually slows her sprint down to a jog.

When Yang glances over her shoulder, she gives her a cocky grin. She slows down as she approaches the double-doors. She waits until Ryuko gets close before she reaches for the door handle.

Big mistake.

Ryuko speeds up to the door, reaching out and grabbing the door handle at the same time.

"Looks like it's a tie," Ryuko smirks between heavy breathes, "So, we'll have to do both. I'll carry you home, but you have to flash those guys during their party."

"Shit," Yang mumbles under her breath with a small laugh.

"You're the one who wanted to make bets," Ryuko tells her.

"But you're the one who escalated things," Yang counters, not because she's trying to wheedle her way out of it, but only to shift the blame off of herself. She really doesn't care. She's very self-confident.

"Hey, I simply made things more interesting, that's all."

Yang shakes her head, letting out a short laugh.

And with that, the two girls walk in.

"Hey, Ryuko-kun, we missed you. Where've you been?" Sanageyama smiles, walking up to them, his eyes immediately locking on Yang. "Who's this? What happened to that other girl?"

"This is Blake's good friend Yang. I've been staying over at their apartment these past two weeks since I broke a few ribs."

"Oh, how kind of you two to do that for her," Sanageyama smiles at Yang.

"Ah, it's nothing really. It's actually nice to have another pal to hang out with," Yang says with a grin, draping her arm over Ryuko's shoulders, which is somewhat difficult for her since she's a couple inches shorter than the brawler.

Ryuko shrugs her arm off because the extra pressure is adding to her pain in her chest.

"Sorry, are you okay?" Yang asks, concerned.

"I'll be fine. I just need to rest a few minutes," Ryuko assures her, sitting down at one of the chairs against the wall so that she can catch her breath. "Sanageyama, you wouldn't happen to have any aspirin, would you?"

"Yeah, sure. One second. Would you like some water too?" Sanageyama offers.

"Please."

Sanageyama disappears behind the door that says "AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY".

As Ryuko's breath and heartbeat finally start to calm down, Sanageyama comes out with the pill in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. He hands both to her.

"Thank you," Ryuko says, popping the pill in her mouth and then washing it down with half a dozen gulps of water.

After a few minutes, Ryuko stands up and finds Yang pumping iron. Not wanting to put too much strain on her broken ribs, she decides not to join her and just walks on the treadmill while listening to a local classic rock station on the radio of her MP3.

An hour passes, and both girls are ready to go back home.

"Now, my prince, carry me home!" Yang exclaims jokingly.

Ryuko rolls her eyes. She about to sling her body over her shoulder when she says, "Nuh-uh. Bridal style."

Ryuko's face turns red in embarrassment. "What?! But everyone will get the wrong idea!"

"Don't care. Carry me."

"Urg, fine," Ryuko groans. She slips her left arm under the girl's thighs and scoops her up, keeping her parallel to the ground with her other arm cradling her back.

"Forward march!" Yang chuckles, wrapping her left arm over Ryuko's broad shoulders as Ryuko walks out onto the sidewalk, heading for home.

* * *

By the time they reach the apartment, Ryuko has gotten, like, at least a few dozen weird looks from others around them, all much to Yang's amusement.

Yang unlocks and opens the door to the apartment, still in Ryuko's arms. Both of them are thankful to see that no one is in the living room, because that would've been awkward.

Ryuko drops Yang out of her arms, Yang's ass hitting the carpet.

"Oof! Hey! You jackass!" Yang growls.

Ryuko snickers and steps over her, saying, "I call the shower first."

Yang gets up and murmurs, "Fine."

* * *

"Are you ready?" Ryuko asks as they stand at the sliding doors to the balcony later that night, which is just past the kitchen.

"Yup," Yang says casually.

Ryuko looks at her. "You're not going to back out?"

Yang snorts. "Hell naw. That would be lame."

Shocked, Ryuko's eyebrows shoot up, but she doesn't say a word. She then opens the sliding doors and they both walk out to the balcony.

Yang steps forward to the edge while Ryuko stays back with her arms crossed over her chest. They peer at the balcony across from them. The apartment is filled with young men and women, probably ranging around eighteen to twenty-three years old. The two girls can hear the loud party music, only slightly muffled by the building walls. Five boys are hanging out drinking beer on their balcony with the sliding door partway open.

Yang gets their attention by nonchalantly calling out, "Hey, boys~!" The five boys glance at her, as well as some of the people inside.

And without another word, Yang lifts up her shirt, exposing herself to all of them. The boys' faces light up in both surprise and excitement as they start cheering, getting the attention of more people from the inside.

Meanwhile, Weiss is walking home when she hears cheering. Curious, she looks to the source of the sound. Weiss gets quite the shock when her eyes lock on Yang's breasts.

"Oh gosh!" Weiss exclaims with a gasp. _Whoa!_ she thinks to herself. Her face turns a deep shade of red, but she doesn't look away. She has to pinch her nose to keep the blood from flowing out.

Ryuko glances down at the sidewalk and sees Weiss holding her nose with wide eyes staring up at Yang, who is on the second floor. She immediately bursts into uncontrollable laughter at the girl's flustered reaction.

As the ten seconds pass, Yang slips her shirt back down over her breasts with a light flush on her cheeks.

"Wow, that took some guts," Ryuko says in astonishment.

"You, Ryuko, are an evil, EVIL woman, you know that?" Yang says jokingly.

Ryuko only chuckles before heading inside.

Seconds after Yang herself walks in, Weiss walks through the door with a bloody tissue. One glance at Yang is all it takes for the blood in her nose to flow again, the image of her still in her mind. She turns away from them and puts the tissue to her nose, pinching the bridge to try to stop the bleeding.

"Whoa, Weiss, are you okay? What happened?" Yang asks, concerned about the snowy-haired woman. She rushes up to Weiss and places a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, yes! I'm fine, you dunce!" Weiss says forcefully, making Yang step back.

"Are you sure?" Yang asks once more time to check.

"Yes, now just go away!" Weiss groans impatiently.

"Okay, if that's what you want," Yang sighs, throwing her hands up in surrender and walking past Ryuko and into the hallway, opening her bedroom door and stepping inside.

Ryuko switches her glance from Yang to Weiss, who lets out a sigh of relief as her shoulders relax.

"So, did you enjoy the view?" Ryuko teases.

Weiss turns around and glares at Ryuko. "Urg, how _lewd_ of you!"

"Are you going to answer my question?"

"No."

For clarification, Ryuko says, "No to answering my question or no to enjoying the view?"

Weiss glares at her again. "No, I will not answer your question."

Ryuko resists the urge to start laughing and just smiles and nods instead as she walks past her and towards her bedroom.

"Soooo, when are you going to tell her?" Ryuko asks her suddenly, a serious expression now on her face.

Without turning around or stopping, Weiss scoffs. "I don't know what you're talking about. Good night."

"Alright," Ryuko shrugs, deciding to drop it. "Good night, Princess."

Weiss narrows her eyes as she closes the door behind her. She works hard to contain her anger because she knows it's unbecoming of a lady to hang their friends' friends by their ribcages.

_I swear, that girl reminds me more and more of Yang every day. Those two have so much in common. They're both loud, pushy, and disgustingly perverted_, she thinks with a sigh. _But for some odd reason… I can't figure out how to get the brute out of my head. Yang is so stupid and headstrong. Why is this so difficult?_

Weiss ultimately decides to sleep on it, hoping that all of this is simply because she is tired from a long day with Ruby. The girl dragged her all over the mall today. Then again, she was the one who agreed to go with the dolt. Well, Weiss only agreed because Yang was walking around the house in her boy shorts this morning and-

_URG! I'm thinking of her again! Stop it, Weiss! Stop it!_ Weiss thinks, starting to get a headache from the excessive frustration building up inside her. She lies down in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She doesn't have the room to herself. On the other side of the bedroom is Ruby's bed. Speaking of the dolt, she's fast asleep, lying on her stomach with her right arm hanging off the side of the bed and the other tucked underneath the pillow on which her head rests as she drools.

Weiss remembers them splitting up after they left the mall. Weiss went to the library for some peace and quiet while Ruby went to the arcade and played videogames 'til it was almost dinnertime. She snorts. _She's eighteen and she still acts like a child. Well, actually, Yang is two years older than her yet she seems to beat Ruby out in the immaturity department. That stupid brute._ Weiss shakes her head when her cheeks start to flush.

Ryuko's words echo through her mind. _"__Soooo, when are you going to tell her?"_

Weiss turns onto her side and closes her eyes, ignoring the thoughts plaguing her mind as she tries to fall asleep.

With a yawn, Ryuko walks over to the couch, lying down on her injured side.

She's grown quite accustomed to living with the four girls. It's nice. She has a few new friends. They've all grown rather close to the brawler – With the obvious exception of Weiss – despite the short time they have known her. However, it's not that she would feel off when she's healed and back on the streets again. She knows that it's how things should be.


	4. Melted Ice and Black Knights, Part 1

Two weeks later, Yang and her sister Ruby are in the living room playing their favorite fighting videogame. Ruby is in a loose black t-shirt and baggy dark wash jeans, but Yang hasn't changed out of her sleep clothes; her low-cut orange tank top and grey skin-tight boy shorts.

"Look out, little sis, 'cause here I come!" Yang smirks, making her fighter unleash a special move, leaving Ruby's character with only a sliver of life points left, Yang's character having more than half left.

Ruby's jaw drops, but in seconds, she pulls herself together and glances sideways at Yang with a sly half-smile.

Yang is about to finish her off when Ruby abruptly yells out, "SABOTAGE!" grabbing at her controller and making her drop it on the floor.

"Ruby, you little cheater!" Yang growls, slugging Ruby in the arm half-heartedly.

And that's when Weiss walks out to make some tea for herself and gasps, nearly passing out. Not even a thousand breathes could prepare her for the sight she accidentally lays her eyes upon. Yang is bent over, her boy shorts riding up as she picks up her videogame controller. When Yang grabs it, she sits back down on the couch and brushes her wild golden hair out of her face, leaving Weiss standing there breathless, unable to look away no matter how many times her mind urges her to. Yang glances over her shoulder at Weiss and gives her a flirty wink. Weiss' face turns a dark shade of red as she turns away, walking into the kitchen.

Yang doesn't look away, though, admiring her impressive slender figure as she's walking in her white and silver-streaked sundress with ruffles at its ends, stopping just above her knees.

_She's so beautiful_, Yang thinks to herself with a small smile.

"Mwahaha! I win!" Ruby chuckles loudly, finally getting Yang's attention.

"What the-" Yang starts, turning around in her seat and staring at the screen. Her character is down for the count. "Damn it, Ruby! That's not cool."

Ruby just laughs, sticking her tongue out at her playfully. When she opens her mouth to say something, a brief vibrating sound stops her. She reaches in her back pocket and takes out her phone, glancing at it for a couple seconds with a slight smile before tapping her thumbs on the screen.

"Hey, Yang, I'll be over at Jaune's, okay?" Ruby says, getting up and slipping her phone back in her pocket.

"Alright, see you later, Rubes," Yang smiles as Ruby opens the front door and walks out.

Weiss is about to start making her tea when Yang offers, "Hey, wanna play?" She holds up the now free controller with a friendly grin.

"Hmph, I don't participate in such childish activities," Weiss scorns and looks away to conceal how her cheeks are turning a light pink.

"Aw, come on, have some fun for once," Yang insists.

She groans. "Fine." She narrows her eyes, putting the tea kettle back in its cabinet before shuffling over to the couch and sitting down to her left, snatching the controller from Yang's hand while mumbling to herself, "Stupid brute, I can have fun."

Although Yang hears her, she doesn't stir the pot. She just says, "Alright, let me show you how to use the controls." She places her right hand over Weiss', prompting a warm blush to appear across the snowy-haired girl's cheeks. Yang then wraps her arm around Weiss' back to place her hand over the girl's left hand to help guide her fingers.

Weiss' stomach flips from her gentle touch, letting her warmth and lavender scent envelop her. Soon enough, though, she snaps out of her trance and elbows Yang in the kidney, making the blond yelp and jump back.

She pouts and says, "Oh, come on, I was just-"

"Keep your distance, brute," Weiss warns, not bothering to listen to whatever Yang had to say.

Yang sighs and tells her with a somewhat aggravated tone, "Alright, fine. Be that way. Figure out the controls on your own."

**…**

Meanwhile, Ryuko and Blake are at the local skate park that afternoon. Ryuko is shredding on the half-pipe while Blake is watching from a nearby bench with a smile on her face. Well, everyone else _thinks_ she's reading a book, but she's really not paying attention to it even though it appears so with the book hiding most of her face.

Ryuko speeds up the ramp and gets some major air. She does a McTwist, spinning 540 degrees in the air before landing perfectly, speeding back down the ramp and skating up the other slope. She does a quick 50-50 grind before skating down again.

Blake nods her head in amazement. _Wow, she's really good_.

Ryuko stops at the top of the half-pipe, holding her board under her right arm as she walks towards Blake. Blake blushes as she strides over to her. Besides her usual black street jacket and white sneakers, she's wearing a new outfit that she got last week. A tri-blend grey t-shirt and black jeans with a chain dangling on the right belt-loop.

_She doesn't wear a lot of color, but maybe it wouldn't suit her anyway_, Blake thinks, imagining Ryuko's outfit in several different color schemes. _Yeah, she looks the most attractive in black, although she wouldn't look bad at all in re-_

A husky voice interrupts her thoughts. "Hey."

Blake nearly drops her book in alarm. She quickly shakes her head in an attempt to get rid of the heated blush on her face when she realizes that Ryuko is already standing in front of her, her hands shoved casually in her jean pockets and her skateboard now under her right foot.

"Hey, Ryuko," Blake smiles. "That was a cool trick you did there."

"Thanks, are you sure you just want to sit here and read? I could teach you some things," Ryuko offers.

"No, no, I'm fine, thank you." Blake doesn't think she has the kind of guts to do the crazy shit that Ryuko does. Besides, secretly observing the tomboy has been quite entertaining. "Anyway, how long have you been skating?"

"About ten years."

"Wow, that's a long time."

"Yeah, I got my first board as a birthday present from my Dad," Ryuko says, her friendly expression wavering slightly at the mention of her father.

Blake, taking notice to Ryuko's change of mood, but not wanting to ask, just says, "That's cool."

After a few more minutes of small talk, they decide to leave and walk around town for a bit. Ryuko drapes her arm over Blake's shoulders as they walk. This has become a normal thing for them. The two of them have gotten very close over the span of five weeks knowing each other. So close that Yang once asked Ryuko if she liked her. She quickly denied it, but Yang was smart enough to know that she was lying, calling her bluff. After being forced into swearing to secrecy, she's been teasing her about it ever since.

**…**

_Wow, I… won. That was actually entertaining. This is quite unexpected_, Weiss thinks to herself in surprise.

Yang sits back and groans, pretending to be frustrated with the loss. She had thrown the match for her because she didn't want her to get upset. Her company is nice and she doesn't want it to end anytime soon.

Yang glances at Weiss out of the corner of her eye as something rare occurs.

Weiss _smiles_.

This catches Yang by surprise. _Wow, I didn't know that her lips had the ability to curve upwards like that._ A light blush spreads across her face. _It's nice._

Weiss notices Yang staring at her with a delighted smile and the wonderful rarity quickly fades into a scowl.

Yang frowns, disappointed that it didn't last long.

Weiss looks away. "I should go. I have things to do." Lie. She just wants to get away from the blond beauty and allow her heart to slow down already. It's been racing ever since they started playing. Not from the action-packed game, though. From Yang.

Yang doesn't say anything as Weiss gets up and starts walking towards the hall. But then, just as she passes by the couch, the snowy-haired girl stops. She turns her head to look back at Yang for a moment, her cheeks flushing as she says, "That was… fun."

Yang beams as she springs to her feet and pulls Weiss into a bone-crushing bear hug.

"Get off me, you brute!" Weiss orders, her face turning red from both embarrassment and lack of oxygen intake. Yang releases her and steps back, holding back her laughter.

Weiss looks away, but then, acting solely on impulse, hastily leans in and pecks her on the cheek. Yang's eyebrows shoot up in shock as she gapes at Weiss, who is looking down at the floor, her face completely red. Yang gazes at her with a wide grin as Weiss walks hurriedly into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Yang gently places two fingers over the spot where Weiss' lips brushed against her skin, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks.

Yang had expected Weiss to do many things, but that wasn't anywhere on that list.

Meanwhile, Weiss has her back against the bedroom door. Her eyes are wide as she realizes what just happened.

_I… I KISSED her! Why did I do that?! What came over me?!_ Her brain screams. _Did she… enjoy it? Urg, why didn't I at least look up and see? Idiot!_ Weiss lets out an anxious sigh and plops down on her bed, burying her face in her pillow. _I guess I'll find out later._ She is suddenly overcome with dread._Or maybe I'll just suffocate myself with this pillow so that way I won't ever have to face her. No, no, then she'll think I'm a coward. Oh my G-d, Weiss. What have you done?_

**…**

Weiss stays in her room until dinner at 6:30 PM. When she comes out, she doesn't say a word. She just sits down in her seat while Blake is taking the baked salmon out of the oven. Yang wants to talk to Weiss about the kiss, but keeps her mouth shut because she knows this is neither the place nor the time for that.

After an unusually quiet dinner, Weiss helps clean up as she would every night, and then walks into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Ruby asks Yang why she and Weiss were so quiet, since Weiss would normally ridicule her for slouching and shoveling her food and Yang would make random and dirty jokes, tease everyone, and so on. Yang tells her it's nothing she should worry about and that she'll take care of it. Ruby, oblivious to their crushes on each other, cocks her head to the side in confusion, but Yang says she would prefer her not to know the details yet and leaves Ruby at that. Ruby shrugs and gathers in the living room with Ryuko and Blake to watch a movie. Yang joins them, but doesn't really participate in the argument of which movie to watch. She just sits on the couch, her mind elsewhere.

_Why _was_she so quiet?_ Yang wonders, a little worried about Weiss. _I guess she was embarrassed. But, she shouldn't be. I feel the same way. _Yang sighs as she thinks,_But Weiss doesn't know that. I need to tell her. Tonight. Right now._

And with that, Yang stands up. "I'll be right back. You can start without me." Not bothering to wait for a response, she walks out of the living room and down the hall, stopping in front of Weiss' door. She raises her right fist to knock, but then decides against it. Instead, she just opens the door without warning and steps inside.

_Holy shit._

That's all that goes through Yang's head as her eyes lock on Weiss changing into her nightgown.

"Whoa! Ever heard of…" Weiss starts to shout, but then begins to trail off as she peers at who is standing at her door, "knocking…" Yang doesn't move, her cheeks bright red. Weiss presses the nightgown against her chest in a panic to cover herself, barking, "Hey, brute, do you mind not looking?"

Yang doesn't miss a beat. She crosses her arms over her chest. "Hey, Princess, if you don't want me looking, then stop being so G-d damn gorgeous," Yang tells her with a genuine crooked smile, making Weiss blush.

_She… thinks I'm gorgeous?_ Weiss thinks in disbelief.

Yang takes a deep breath, mustering up the courage before she begins to walk towards her. Weiss freezes, not knowing what to say or what to do. She just stands there as Yang walks closer and closer until her face is mere inches away from Weiss'.

"What are y-" Weiss finally starts before being cut off by Yang's lips brushing against hers. Weiss' eyes widen in shock, while Yang's are closed, the blond enjoying the feeling of Weiss' soft lips.

Weiss melts into the kiss, involuntarily letting out a quiet moan, which causes Yang's heart to take off on a high-speed chase. Yang reaches up and caresses Weiss' face in her hands, deepening the kiss, earning another moan from the snowy-haired girl. Weiss places one hand on Yang's chest and entangles the other in her wild hair.

Yang, running out of breath, reluctantly pulls away, inhaling deeply as she gazes into Weiss' icy blue eyes. Only a moment passes before Weiss fervently pulls Yang into her by her shirt, kissing her again. Yang is caught off guard at first, but quickly matches Weiss' passion, wrapping her arms around her waist.

One low husky moan out of Yang and Weiss shoves her back against the wall, pressing herself flush against her, not caring that she isn't wearing anything, her nightgown now on the floor by her bed. Yang immediately grabs Weiss and swaps positions, Weiss now against the wall, gazing up at Yang as she gazes back down at her with her sparkling lilac eyes.

"You're beautiful," Yang whispers as she leans down and kisses her slowly, savoring her sweet vanilla taste. Weiss blushes and knots her fists in Yang's shirt.

As much as she doesn't want to ruin the moment, she can't get something off her mind, so she pulls away, looking up at Yang, who is now giving her a concerned look.

"What's wrong?" Yang asks, tenderly stroking her cheek with curled fingers.

"Yang."

"Yes, Snow Angel?" she whispers softly, kissing her nape, shocked since this is one of the rare occasions where Weiss has actually called her by her name.

Weiss' heart skips a beat, but she pulls herself together and pops the question. "Are we, you know, together now?" She gazes up at Yang hopefully, biting her lower lip.

"Does this answer your question?" Yang whispers as she strokes her cheek and brushes her lips against hers.

Weiss' heart soars. She gets onto the tips of her toes to wrap her arms around the taller girl's neck. Neither of them pulls away for a long time, letting themselves to be swept away by each other's passion.

When Yang finally breaks away, Weiss grins and breathes, "Yeah," but then her grin fades. "But, um, could we keep this a secret from the others? I'm not ready to tell them yet."

Yang nods and says okay, not being comfortable telling everyone if she isn't.

After Weiss gets dressed in her light blue nightgown, the two of them leave the bedroom and silently walk into the living room. The others are watching the movie and they don't seem to notice them until Weiss sits on the far right side of the couch, catching Ruby's attention for a split second before she reverts her concentration back to the exciting action movie. Yang casually plops down between Ruby and Blake. She looks down. In between Blake's legs is Ryuko, sitting on the carpet with her legs crossed and her back leaning against the front of the box cushions. Yang half-smiles.

_Those two have some major chemistry. I can't believe they aren't dating_, Yang thinks before looking up at the movie. She's seen this one before. One of Ruby's all-time favorites. Judging by the current scene, it seems to Yang that the movie is almost halfway done already. _Wait, there's no way that can be right. I went and talked to Weiss before they even decided on which movie to watch in the first place. Did we seriously make out for that long? Daammn._ Yang can't suppress her sly smirk. Thankfully for her, the lights are off and the movie has the rest of the girls preoccupied.

Yang steals a glance over at Weiss. She's biting her lip trying to hold back her grin. When Weiss notices her looking at her, her expression relaxes as she smiles. It's tender, sweet. Yang smiles back, her lilac eyes glistening in the TV light. Yang looks down and notices that Ruby is sitting far forward, her elbows resting on her knees and her face held up by the palms of her hands. Well, this _is_ Ruby's favorite, after all. It shouldn't be surprising that she's getting so into it.

Taking advantage of the darkness of the room and the distraction on the screen, Yang moves her hand away from her lap, inching it behind Ruby. Weiss gives her a nervous stare initially, but after taking the circumstances into consideration, she calmly reaches over to Yang's hand. When the tips of their fingers touch, their hearts skip a beat. Yang makes the move and takes Weiss' hand in hers. Weiss blushes as their fingers interlace.

_I could get used to this_, Weiss thinks.

**…**

After the movie ends, Weiss yanks her hand away from Yang's, not about to let any of the other girls catch them red-handed.

"That movie was awesome," Ruby beams.

"Yeah, it was good," Ryuko says, crawling over to the DVD player and taking the disc out. "I can see why you like it so much."

"Some parts of the movie were actually pretty funny," Blake chimes in.

While Ryuko and Ruby continue to talk about the movie, discussing their favorite parts, Blake rolls her eyes with an amused smile and gets up, taking the DVD from Ryuko's hands and putting it in the bin where they keep all of their movies. She then walks into the bathroom to wash up since it's getting late. Yang and Weiss stand up and join Blake in the bathroom. Blake finishes before them and, after changing into her night clothes in her bedroom, heads out into the living room to say goodnight to Ryuko.

"Get some sleep, Ruby," Ryuko says to Ruby. Ruby smiles at her and says goodnight before walking into her bedroom.

Ryuko spots Blake out of the corner of her eye. She's wearing a black lingerie nightdress with spaghetti straps and lace at the ends, the bottom portion not quite reaching halfway down her thighs.

After taking a moment to admire her stunning figure, Ryuko gives her a charming crooked smile. "Hey."

"Hey. So, are you feeling better?" Blake asks, walking over to her.

"Yeah, it's been, like, four weeks, and it doesn't hurt at all, so I think it's getting close to healed."

"I'm glad to hear that," Blake tells her, although half of her is lying, knowing that she leaves as soon as she has healed.

"Well, goodnight, Blake," Ryuko says softly, opening her arms for a hug. Blake smiles and wraps her arms around her neck as Ryuko hugs her arms around her slender torso.

"Goodnight, Ryuko," Blake mumbles, resisting the urge to bury her face deep in Ryuko's shoulder before they break the warm contact almost as quickly as it started. They give each other one last friendly smile and then Blake turns and walks into her bedroom.

Yang and Weiss step out of the bathroom, having finished washing up. As Weiss is reaching for her doorknob, Yang gently but firmly grabs her other arm to stop her. When Weiss looks over at Yang, she's pulled into an affectionate kiss. It's too brief, but Ryuko is out in the living room.

"Goodnight, Yang," Weiss whispers, gazing into her dazzling lilac eyes.

"Sleep well, my Snow Angel," Yang whispers back, pressing her lips against her forehead before turning and disappearing inside her bedroom. Weiss exhales, placing her hand over her heart, trying to calm it down. She lets a small smile cross her face before she quietly heads into her own bedroom.

Ryuko lies down on the couch on her back with her head supported by the soft pillow. Ryuko peers up at the ceiling, tucking one hand underneath her head and resting the other on her stomach. She closes her eyes and begins to drift off.

…

After a far less awkward breakfast the following morning, Ryuko gets dressed in her black beater and tan cargo shorts, grabbing her skateboard on the way out. Beforehand, she had asked Yang if she wanted to come with her to the gym, but Yang, much to the brawler's surprise, refused and said she had other things she wanted to do today.

So, Ryuko skates to the gym, the soft breeze flowing through her hair as she flies down the sidewalk, doing the occasional trick on a curb or bench.

When she arrives, Sanageyama and Gamagoori are not in the front like usual. Ryuko calls out their names once before shrugging and putting her skateboard in her locker before heading over to the punching bag to get started on her training for the day.

She loosens up and then starts jabbing the center of the punching bag, finishing up the barrage by slamming her fist into the side, making the bag recoil to the left. She then kicks her leg out in a roundhouse kick that plunges it right in its core in mid-swing.

Ryuko steps back to catch her breath. _Damn it. I'm growing soft. I can't have that._

Ryuko steps forward again and puts up her guard, throwing two killer hooks at the sides and then jabbing the center a few times, taking breaths with every punch.

_I have to be ready to get back in the ring by the time I leave their apartment. If I don't, there goes my income_, Ryuko thinks, trying to drive herself to fight harder.

**…**

Two hours pass in a flash, and Ryuko calls it a day. She takes her skateboard from her locker and heads out. She sets her board down on the concrete sidewalk and presses her foot on the gritty surface, kicking off and skating towards home.

Ryuko shakes her head when she realizes what she just implied. _No, Ryuko, no. Don't you dare get too attached._

**…**

Meanwhile, Yang and Weiss are watching TV on the couch. Weiss is curled up with Yang, her head on her shoulder and her arms wrapped around her solid midriff. Ruby and Blake are at the Library, so they have the house to themselves. Yang figures Ryuko won't get home for a while, so she glances down at Weiss to kiss her, smiling when she sees that the snowy-haired girl is dozing off.

_That's so cute_, Yang thinks, chuckling to herself softly.

Weiss stirs. When she opens her eyes, she grins, gazing up at the blond beauty holding her in her arms.

"Did you enjoy your nap?" Yang asks, her voice low and warm.

Weiss hums sleepily in response, taking her left hand off Yang's midriff to rub her eyes. She sits up and smiles once she starts to feel more awake.

Yang places her hands on her cheeks and gently pulls her close, giving her a kiss. It's too brief for Weiss, so she wraps her arms around her neck as she brings her lips up against Yang's again. They hold each other tightly, lost in their burning desire, not even noticing when Ryuko walks through the front door.

Ryuko's cheeks turn red with embarrassment at the sight. "U-Um…"

Weiss' eyes flash open, alarmed. She jolts, trying to shove herself off of Yang, but Yang's secure grip around her waist keeps her body flush against hers. Yang only turns her head with eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Ryuko!" Weiss exclaims, her face completely red.

Ryuko pulls herself together before saying anything. "Ah, so the Princess and the Brute? What an unlikely pair, but I can't say I'm surprised. I totally called it."

Weiss gets all flustered, stammering, "I-It's not… it's not what it looks like!"

Ryuko holds back a laugh as she turns to face the door, glancing over her shoulder as she says, "I'll leave you two lovebirds to your own devices." And then Ryuko walks back out the door, closing it behind her.

She starts snickering as she thinks, _The look on her face was hilarious!_

"Well, there goes our dirty little secret," Yang giggles, sticking her tongue out jokingly.

Mildly annoyed, Weiss flicks Yang on the forehead.

"Ow, what was that for?" Yang demands with a pout.

Weiss sighs.

Ryuko steps down the stairs and walks back over to the sidewalk. She shakes her head with a smile, happy for the two of them, but still feeling her heart crack.

_Wish I could have something like that_, she thinks, the image of a smiling Blake entering her mind. She stops in her tracks, trying to snap herself out of it. _Yeah, like I'd ever have a chance with her._

**…**

Before they know it, two more weeks pass in a flash. Ryuko's wound has completely healed. Yang took Ryuko to the doctor for an x-ray to check.

Back in the apartment now, Ryuko stands at the door in front of the four girls she now calls her friends. In order from left to right are Weiss, Yang, Ruby, and Blake. They all stand in silence until Ryuko speaks.

"I guess this is goodbye," Ryuko says with a frown.

"Aw, don't be like that. This isn't goodbye. I'm sure we'll run into you again somewhere in Vale," Yang assures Ryuko with a wide friendly grin.

Ryuko's frown curls up into a slight smile. She says her goodbyes anyway starting with Weiss.

"Farewell, Princess," Ryuko teases with a crooked smile.

"Shut up, you dunce. Just take care of yourself out there." Weiss mumbles just loud enough for her to hear.

Ryuko snickers. "I will." She looks at Yang. They smile and bump fists.

Then, Yang says, "Bye, Ryuko. I hope to see you soon."

Ryuko then turns to Ruby, who looks totally sentimental.

"You're like a big sister to me," Ruby grins, giving Ryuko a big hug.

"Hey!" Yang protests.

Ruby laughs. "Love you, Yang."

Ryuko snorts as Ruby lets go of her. "I'll see you around, Ruby."

Ruby nods, stepping back so that Ryuko can turn to face Blake.

"Ryuko…" Blake breathes, gazing up into Ryuko's eyes. The gleam in those blue orbs tells Blake right away that Ryuko isn't ready to say goodbye to her yet.

Ryuko doesn't say anything. She just opens her arms, Blake not hesitating to run into them. Ryuko steps back to maintain her balance as Blake buries her face in Ryuko's chest, her fists knotted in the back of her jacket. Ryuko's cheeks flush as she wraps her arms around her, returning the hug.

Blake wants to ask Ryuko to stay permanently, but she's too scared to ask, not knowing how the others would react, especially since she doesn't own the place. This is _Weiss'_ apartment and the place has felt congested with five people in the small three bedroom, one bathroom dwelling. But she knows without her, the place will feel empty. Like it's missing the last piece to the puzzle.

And she's not the only one who feels that way. Ryuko _hates_ this. She doesn't want to leave. She wants to stay here. Here. Not on the streets. Not in a tree. But also not in some fancy-ass mansion. Not anywhere other than _here_. Here with Ruby, who looks up to her and admires her. Here with Weiss, who, even though can be a pain in the ass with her attitude, is no less a friend to her that the rest of them. Here with Yang, who jokes around with her and teases Weiss into a rage from time to time. And last but certainly not the least, she wants to stay here with Blake, the beautiful woman whom she has grown to love dearly.

"Goodbye, Blake." Ryuko swallows hard, forcing herself to pull away from the warm embrace.

She gazes into Blake's golden amber eyes with a half-smile before turning away, taking a deep breath as she opens the door. She manages a step out, feeling her chest begin to ache, but not from an injury. At least not a physical one. The second step Ryuko takes doesn't hurt as much, giving her a sense of reassurance that she's going to be fine, not that she isn't sure if she can make it on her own. And she's sure she'll see her again. Although when that'll be, Ryuko isn't entirely certain.

It hits Blake that there's a possibility that she won't see the brawler for a long time. Vale is a_big_ city. Her heart sinks to her stomach, fearing the worst. She can't let this happen. She still hasn't told her. She still hasn't told her that she's in love with her. She still hasn't told her how badly she wants to be with her.

_It's now or never! Tell her!_ Blake's brain screams to her, but her feet refuse to move. _Come on! Go over there and tell her, you coward! Tell her you love her! Tell her you want her to stay with you!_

"W-Wait!" Blake gasps suddenly, bolting up to her and reaching out, firmly grabbing ahold of Ryuko's forearm. Ryuko freezes, a sliver of hope sparking inside her that maybe, just maybe, she's going to ask her to stay. She turns her body to half-face her as her deep blue eyes bore into Blake's.

_Please, Blake. Please, tell me to stay_, Ryuko thinks.

Blake opens her mouth, but then her words jam in her throat.

_Come on, Blake. Say something, please!_ Ryuko thinks.

_I love you_, Blake thinks, wanting to scream it out, but can't seem to put her thoughts into words.

At last, she speaks, but the words that finally escape her throat are not the ones she wants to say. "Goodbye, Ryuko," Blake chokes out, her face darkening as her heart lurches.

Ryuko frowns, swallowing the huge lump in her throat, feeling her heart begin to tear. She forces herself to smile as she turns away from her. Ryuko literally slips right through Blake's fingertips as she heads down the stairs to the main floor, proceeding to skate down the street.

Blake sighs, staring down at the floor in self-resentment. _I'm a coward._

As Ryuko skates towards the park, she thinks, _I know we just said goodbye, but I don't want this to truly be goodbye, as in for good_. She pleads silently to herself, hoping that this is just an "until we meet again" kind of goodbye, but Ryuko can't be sure. All she can do is hope.

* * *

**Okay, hopefully this turned out okay. Last time I uploaded this chapter, something happened and the formatting got all screwed up, but I think I fixed it.**


	5. Melted Ice and Black Knights, Part 2

**Alright, get ready for the longest chapter in the story so far. Enjoy!**

* * *

The night is quiet. Ryuko holds her breath, reveling in the serenity of the silence. A cool autumn breeze blows softly through Ryuko's hair as deep blue eyes peer up in wonder at the star-spangled sky. So beautiful. So magnificent. The shining stars brighten the dark canvas of the sky. Wow, she has truly missed this view.

As breathtaking as the night sky is though, she can't help but miss the comfort of Yang's couch. She can't help but yearn for those six delightful weeks to rewind and replay. She hopes to see all four of them again, but Blake more so than the others.

Blake. The very mention of her name makes her heart both skip and ache at the same time. She stares out into space lost in thought. Ryuko remembers seeing the look in the raven-haired woman's eyes when she left. She was _so_ upset. The usual vibrant glow in those golden amber eyes had vanished. What had she wanted to say to her? She could tell she didn't just stop her to say a simple goodbye. She's not stupid.

Ryuko sighs, pushes every thought of Blake to the back of her mind, and leans her back against the rough tree trunk. Crap, she really misses that damned couch.

* * *

_Everything is pitch-black. Where am I? I glance around me, trying to find my bearings. I can't see a damn thing._

_A soft feminine voice whispers in my ear. "Ryuko."_

_I stiffen. Who said that? I turn around and no one is there, but now my eyes seem to be adjusting to the lack of lighting so I can tell that I'm in someone's house. It's oddly familiar. I'm sitting up on a couch with my legs relaxing along its length. I look around again, not sure where that voice came from._

_"__Ryuko."_

_Damn it! There it goes again! Where the hell are you? My eyes dart all over, trying to pinpoint the source. I open my mouth to call out and ask where this mystery person is, but when I make an attempt at speaking, nothing comes out of my mouth except for my breath. No sound. Not even a faint whisper._

_What the- Why can't I talk? What's going on?_

_Two small orbs of golden light pierce through the darkness of the room. Suddenly, a figure in front of me comes into view. Most of its body is shrouded in black shadows, save for the soft amber glow from a pair of eyes. They light up enough for me to see a face._

_Blake._

_My eyebrows shoot up in shock when she straddles me and places a firm hand on my chest, shoving me down onto my back. I gaze up into her eyes, unable to move. Those eyes. Those golden eyes. Filled with lust. Their glow seem to make my muscles lock, leaving me paralyzed and powerless in her presence._

_Wha- Blake, what are you- Whoa… My thoughts trail off as my eyes fixate on flawless pale skin. Thankfully, the darkness is preserving her innocence, but just barely. My heart starts pounding, nearly stopping altogether when Blake leans closer to me, her amber eyes gazing intently into my own as the distance between our faces begin to diminish. I try to move away, but my body doesn't budge, still spellbound. A pair of soft hands latch onto my wrists, pinning them above my head against the arm of the couch. I make another feeble attempt at escape. It's no use. I'm defenseless under her hypnosis._

_I stiffen when Blake's right hand lets go of my wrist, her forefinger traveling down my arm to my shoulder and then sliding up the side of my neck to my chin. She stops there, applying some force to make me tilt my head back, exposing my neck._

_Whoa there, Blake, what are- Oh f-_

_I try to voice my thoughts to no avail, gasping as she brings her lips to my jugular, gentle as she kisses the tender spot. I close my eyes and feel myself begin to drift under her spell._

_I frown and open my eyes as her lips leave the spot, but then she raises herself to look into my eyes, our lips now mere inches apart. I feel her hot breath on my skin, long and heavy. She brings her lips another inch closer, stopping there. I try to move to close the distance, eager to feel the sensation of her lips upon mine, but find myself falling instead. Her presence suddenly vanishes as my body falls through the couch._

* * *

With a sudden jerk of her body, Ryuko's eyes flash open, taking in a world where the grassy ground and the morning sky have swapped places, the landscape somewhat swaying from side to side.

"What in the…" Ryuko murmurs, utterly confused. The rest of her senses choose that moment to spring to life, feeling an intense pressure constricting her ankles. She looks down, err… up, to see her feet tied awkwardly to the side of the tree branch, leaving her body hanging upside down with the blood rushing to her head. Ryuko does a sit-up as she reaches out and grabs the thick rope, loosening it until her feet come out, gravity taking the rest of her body with them.

"ACK!" Ryuko yelps as she hits the ground with a dull thud.

She lies there in the grass, watching the tree spin around, dizzy and dreary from sleep.

_So, that was all a dream?_ Ryuko thinks as the spinning ceases. _It all felt so real. _She sighs, disappointed. Ryuko sits up and rubs her eyes, then ruffling her hair roughly to shake out the blades of grass. _I guess I moved in my sleep, but how come the rope didn't keep me in my spot? Was I moving that much?_

She forces herself to stand up, groaning when she finds her muscles aching.

"_Wow_, I forgot how uncomfortable it was to sleep in a tree," Ryuko moans aloud, although she isn't speaking to anyone, nor is anyone around, save for one jogger with earbuds plugging his ears. Ryuko stretches out until she feels the lower base of her spine crack. She heaves a sigh. "Ah, G-d. I _really_ wrenched my back."

She peers up at her stuff still in the tree. With a short running start, she leaps up into the branches to gather her things before jumping back down and walking towards the coffee shop with her hands in her pockets.

Ryuko shuffles into the shop and gets herself a coffee and bagel. She sits down at one of the tables and leans back in the chair, staring at the empty chair across from her. She sighs and sips her coffee.

The café is quiet except for a handful of people talking among themselves and a machine grinding coffee beans in the background. Ryuko has gotten so used to Weiss bickering with her and Yang - sometimes even Ruby - that this atmosphere feels almost alien to her.

Ryuko shakes off the thoughts and glances out the café window, sipping down some more coffee. The streets of Vale are alive with cars zipping by. The sidewalks are swarming with business workers, joggers, and bikers. All of them going about their daily routines. Ryuko is certain none of them feel out of place like herself. She supposes she'll just have to get used to the way things were before.

* * *

A week passes by like molasses. _Slow_ as _fuck_. It takes a while for Ryuko to readjust. Fighting in the Arena again was awfully difficult. Although she did manage to win a couple fights without so much as a couple bruises Friday night, she got her ass handed to her on a silver platter the following day.

Now it's Thursday morning. She never has anything planned that day. Typically, she would just relax and rest up for her bouts at the Arena. She figures she'll just take a walk around the town until lunch and then figure out where to go next. So, after having breakfast at the coffee shop she always goes to, she ambles down the sidewalk, not a care in the world. Just enjoying the sounds and scents of the city. She turns the corner and heads down the sidewalk on Main Street with her hands in her pockets, her duffle bag slung across her back.

After a couple hours she starts to get a little tired, so she stops by the skate park to rest for a while. She finds a bench off to the side of all of the ramps and rails. She lies down, using her linked hands as a pillow for her head as she closes her eyes and exhales, basking in the warm sun. The skate park is never super-crowded on week days, so she doesn't really have to worry about skaters trying to do a grind on the bench while she relaxes. She notices that there are two guys skating on the half-pipe across the park, but other than that, no one is around. Ryuko lets a small creep across her face as she enjoys the solitude, taking out her MP3 player and rocking out to the latest pop hits on the radio.

Another hour passes quickly. A grumbling coming from Ryuko's stomach catches the girl's attention. The brawler sits up, peering down at her silver watch. She had got it a few weeks ago at the mall with Weiss. She snorts. She remembers how Weiss was in such a good mood that she invited her to go to the mall with her.

_Good times_, Ryuko thinks with a smile. _It's almost one o'clock.I might as well go get myself some lunch._

She takes a moment to think of somewhere to go. After settling on _Bruce's Sports Grill_ down the road, she stands up, still listening to the radio as she leaves the skate park.

* * *

Ryuko sits at the bar area eating her burger. She glances up at the flat-screen TV on the wall. It's just two guys in suits talking about sports. Not something that interests her much. She sighs and finishes up her meal before paying the bill and walking out of the restaurant.

_Alright, where to next?_ Ryuko thinks to herself as she stands at the curb. _Hm, I'm in the mood for a couple books._

After a ten minute walk to the library, she spends some time browsing the endless supply of books on the shelves. Once she finds one she likes, she sits down on the brown semi-circular couch to continue reading.

Even though the book is 248 pages long, Ryuko is such a fast reader, it doesn't take her all day. She finishes it in just under two hours. She could probably read an entire _Harry Potter_ book in one full day tops.

_I wonder if Blake could beat that._ Ryuko dismisses the thought as quickly as it comes. _I should get going._ And with that, she stands up, putting the book back where she found it. As she's about to walk out, she spots a small café near the lobby. _Maybe I'll get something on my way out._

After getting an iced tea, she walks into the lobby, about to leave, but then, out of nowhere, a young girl – probably around seventeen – with half a dozen books in her arms bumps into Ryuko, spilling her iced tea on her faded blue jeans.

_Urg! Great! I just got this yesterday, damn it!_ Ryuko grits her teeth angrily.

"Oh gosh! I-I'm so sorry!" the girl cries nervously.

Ryuko turns her head and gives her a fuming glare. She has long straight brown hair with chocolate brown eyes to match. The girl is hugging her books tightly against her chest as she looks up at her with a scared expression when she notices how ripped she is.

Detecting her nervousness, she takes a deep breath and calms down. "It's fine. Don't worry about it. Just be more careful next time."

"I will. Again, I am _so_ sorry. I was a rush," the girl says.

"It's alright," Ryuko sighs. Without another word, she cleans up the mess. The girl grabs some paper towels and helps out. Once they finish the girl apologizes again. Ryuko assures her that it's fine. As she walks towards the bathroom afterwards, she sees the girl slam into someone else again by the front door out of the corner of her eye. Ryuko doesn't pay much attention and just rolls her eyes, heading into the restroom to change into a clean pair of jeans.

After she changes, she checks her watch. 4:53 PM. Ryuko sighs and walks out of the library. She makes a stop by the Laundromat and washes her jeans before heading back to the park, reclining up in the tree with her bag on the next branch. Ryuko turns her MP3 player on as she gazes up at the sky, listening to the radio.

* * *

_11:30 AM (6 hours ago)_

Blake lied curled up on her bed reading a book that morning. She'd had the book open for almost ten minutes, but she couldn't get past the first paragraph on the page, her eyes scanning the lines over and over.

_I see my Marianne walking away. So many people have come and gone. Their faces fade as the years go by, yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky, it's more than a feeling. When I'm tired and thinking cold, I hide in my music, forget the day, and dream of a girl I used to know. I closed my eyes and she slipped away._

Blake sighed after she finished reading the short passage for what felt like the millionth time. _I let her slip away_, Blake thought to herself. _I'm such an idiot. I'm such a coward._

She was sitting in bed, still in her violet nightdress. She hadn't left her room once since she woke up. This was something she'd been doing all week. Staying in her room in the mornings reading. Of course, she came out of her room eventually, but usually not before eleven o'clock, which was awfully late, especially for her. Even _Yang_ was up by ten every morning. No one said anything to her about it, though. Especially since every mention of Ryuko got them a sideways glare. There was no reason to be bitter about it, but Blake just couldn't help it. She hadn't felt so strongly towards someone in a long time. Years. And it had taken its toll on her.

Speaking of the other girls, Ruby and Yang were in the kitchen chatting while Weiss sat on the couch watching a talk show. She looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. She hadn't even come out for breakfast this morning. Weiss stood up. Enough was enough. This had to stop. She'd never seen Blake this upset before.

Blake was about to finally read forward when there was a soft knocking at the door.

"Blake?" a voice called from behind the closed bedroom door. "Blake? Are you awake yet?"

"Yes, Weiss," Blake sighed, recognizing the voice.

"Good, come out for breakfast already." Weiss didn't know what else to say, so she just left it at that.

Blake rolled her eyes and closed the book, placing it on her nightstand before getting up and opening the door.

Weiss crossed her arms over her chest with a deadpan stare. "Alright, get dressed. We're going on a Ruffian Hunt."

Blake cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Huh?"

Weiss groaned and rolled her eyes impatiently. "We're going to find Ryuko. Now hurry up already."

Blake gaped at Weiss in shock. How else could she react to the words that so abruptly come out of the snowy-haired girl's mouth? Find her? Then what? Tell her how she felt? Tell her to come stay with them again?

"Come on, I said hurry up already," Weiss demanded.

"Okay, okay, okay. Geez, you don't have to be so pushy, Princess," Blake finally answered, shutting the door on the girl.

_Urg, you sound like Yang_, Weiss thought to herself, turning on her heel and walking over to the couch to wait for her.

Blake's thoughts raced. How would she find her? What would she say to her when they found her? What would she say back? Would she be happy to see her? Geez, what kind of question is that? Of course she would be happy to see her, but still, Blake wasn't sure how things would go.

Blake came out of her room and sat next to Weiss on the couch.

"Hey, Blake," Yang called from the kitchen. As she walked up to them, she added with a grin, "Snow Angel," earning a blush from the snowy-haired girl. Yang continued. "I'm going to the mall with Ruby. You two want to come?"

Weiss refused her offer, already set on going out to help Blake – Wow, Yang had been a _great_ influence on the girl – search for Ryuko.

Yang shrugged and gave Weiss a peck on the lips before she sauntered out of the apartment with an energetic Ruby on her tail.

Blake snorted, still maintaining her emotionless expression. "_Snow Angel_?"

Weiss turned bright red. "Shut up, you dunce."

* * *

"Okay, we've been walking around town for over an hour. Do you even know where the ruffian would be?"

Blake gave Weiss a glare. "That ruffian has a name."

"_Fine_. Do you know where _Ryuko_ would be?" Weiss corrected, sure to put extra emphasis on the girl's name with as much sass as she could muster.

Blake rolled her eyes. Perhaps Yang hadn't been enough of a good influence yet. She took a moment to think.

"I don't know. I mean, we used to go to the skate park together every once in a while, and she goes to the gym a lot so-" Blake started, getting cut off.

"Then let's go to the skate park and see if she's there first, since it's closer. If not, we'll try the gym next."

"Alright."

* * *

They reached the skate park in a good fifteen minutes. When they walked through the chain-link gate, their eyes scanned around the park. It's not exactly a flat area, so they couldn't see the entire park. Just the front portion. They could see one boy shredding the half-pipe, but Blake could tell that it wasn't Ryuko. This skater had light blonde hair and a skinny build. Not what she was looking for.

Blake and Weiss were about to check the benches in the back when a skater popped up and whizzed past them, startling Blake and pissing Weiss off. "Hey, watch it, you brute!" Weiss barked, shaking her fist angrily as the skater proceeded to do a kick flip onto a rail. Blake looked at the girl and sighed.

"Calm down, Weiss."

With a short huff, Weiss said, "Whatever. What time is it?"

"One o'clock," Blake told her after checking her watch.

"Alright then, after we finish this, we're going to have lunch," Weiss declared.

"Why? I thought we were going to the gym first," Blake asked.

"Well, I'm hungry."

"Okay, Princess."

_Urg, I hate it when people call me that_, Weiss thought, annoyed. _First Yang. Then Ryuko. Now even _Blake_. Why am I even helping her? _With a sigh, Weiss finished the thought. _You're helping her because she's your friend and you hate seeing her upset. That's why, dolt._

Little did the two girls know that they had _just_ missed her.

* * *

"_Bruce's Sports Grill_," Weiss said as she stared up at the sign with the restaurant name with a blue and white football helmet underneath it. "Sounds classy."

Blake sighed and dragged the girl inside. The host led them to a booth and they sat down across from each other. The restaurant was fairly big. And while Ryuko was in fact at the bar, it was on the other side of the joint. After their waiter came by and took their orders, Blake said, "Thank you, Weiss."

Weiss snorted and crossed her arms, tilting her chin up haughtily. "For what? I'm not paying the bill. I forgot my wallet at home. This one's on you."

"Gee, thanks," Blake muttered, and then continued, "No, that's not what I'm referring to. I meant thank you for offering to help me out."

"Oh, right. You're welcome. You haven't been yourself lately, and it was bothering me, so…" Weiss trailed with an indifferent shrug, trying to sound like she didn't even care although her words contradicted it.

Blake gave Weiss a warm smile. Icy blue eyes widened in shock. She hadn't seen the girl smile in quite a while, not that smiling herself was any less of a rarity. It was just that during those six weeks, Blake had been so much happier; her eyes seeming to shine so much brighter; her spirits so much higher. All of that vanished the moment Ryuko left. It was something she had never witnessed. She'd never witnessed a fire burn so bright before suddenly dying out like that.

Weiss gently curved the ends of her lips, just a _little_, in order to convey her sentiments. And it was plenty for Blake. She couldn't have been more appreciative to have a friend like her.

* * *

"Okay, let's get back to business," Weiss said as they walked out of the restaurant. "Hm, where's the gym?"

Blake let out a feinted gasp. "Oh! Is the all-knowing Weiss Schnee asking _me_ for directions?"

_She certainly seems like herself again_, Weiss thought before she rolled her eyes and replied. "Shut up and answer the question."

"It's right off Main Street," Blake informed her.

"Oh, I knew that. I was j-"

Blake cut her off. "Weiss."

"What?"

"Shut up."

Weiss' cheeks burned with annoyance, but she complied, crossing her arms as she walks alongside her friend.

* * *

"Huh? Oh, you're looking for Ryuko?" Sanageyama said.

Blake nodded. "Yes? Is she here?" Blake asked, a hint of both anxiety and restlessness in her voice.

Sanageyama shook his head. "No, but she was here yesterday. Did something happen?"

Blake just shrugged and sighed, starting to give up hope.

Weiss sensed this as they left the gym and spoke up. "Oh, no, Blake, don't you give up on me now. I'm sacrificing a day of my life to help you. That says a lot."

"Oh, yes, thank you for giving up four hours of your incredibly prized existence as a Schnee." Blake deadpanned.

"Don't give me that sass," Weiss told her. "Now come on, where else would she be? Where did you first meet her?"

"It was at the Laundromat, but I highly doubt-"

"Let's check there just in case."

"Alright."

* * *

And so, they head over to the Laundromat, and just as Blake expected, Ryuko was not there. After remembering that she also goes to the Library, they made their way over there.

Blake's heart was racing. She was getting too emotionally involved in this. What if they didn't find her? Would she have the courage and resolve to get up and search again? Blake wasn't sure. All she could do was hope that she would find Ryuko there, sitting at a table like she did the second time they crossed paths.

As they neared the entrance, Blake took a couple deep breathes in an attempt to soothe her restless heart. They walked in and were met by a young brown-haired girl running towards them with a stack of books hugged up against her chest. Without time to react, the girl slammed right into Weiss, dropping her books on the floor in the process.

Weiss' face burned with anger as she glared at the girl. She proceeded to yell at her, frightening the timid girl. Blake just ignored Weiss and picked up the books for the girl.

"Don't mind her," Blake whispered to the younger girl as she handed her the books.

Weiss continued her rant until she called her "dolt." That was when the girl interjected rather nervously, "Um, my name is Velvet."

She just gave her a deadpan stare as she said, "I don't care! Just watch where you're going."

"That's enough, Weiss. It was an accident," Blake told the snowy-haired girl, giving her a look.

Weiss huffed and then muttered, "Whatever."

Velvet quickly apologized to both of them before running out the door again.

"Geez, she must be in a hurry," Blake thought out loud.

Weiss only hummed in response. Blake turned and faced the lobby. _If she's not here, there's only one other place I can think to check. Damn it, Ryuko, I wish I could've just spoken up and arranged for us to meet again somewhere. I'm so stupid. Now we're on a wild goose chase._

And once again, they had just missed her.

* * *

_Present Time_

Still up in the tree listening to music, Ryuko taps her hands to the beat. When the song ends and those pesky commercials come on, she exhales softly and then looks down to the pathway to her left. She doesn't see anyone until two familiar faces walk up the path from the corner of her vision. She disregards the two, but then does a double-take as they continue to walk past her.

It's two young women. The girl on the left has snowy-white hair; The girl to her right raven-black hair. They are strolling along the stone trail, the raven-haired girl's head pointed towards the ground.

_Blake?!_ Ryuko's brain screams. She shakes her head in disbelief. She yanks out her earbuds and leans to the side to peer around the wall of green leaves, just to be sure.

The two girls stop in their tracks. The white-haired girl is talking to the other woman, but Ryuko can't make out what she's saying. She can't see their faces either, but then the raven-haired girl turns her head to look at her friend, revealing a soft amber glow in her eyes.

Ryuko gasps, knowing it's her. There's no mistaking those eyes. It's Blake. She's here. And now she can put two and two together that the other girl is Weiss. _But why are they here? Well, it's not like they aren't allowed to go to the park, but still..._

She gasps again as she slips off the branch.

"ACKABLAK!" Ryuko hits the ground with a thud.

This sudden outburst catches the two girls' attention. They gape at Ryuko in surprise. Ryuko freezes for a moment and then waves at them with an awkward smile before she springs up and anxiously scrambles back up into the tree with red cheeks.

Blake's heartbeat quickens. _Crap, what do I do?_

Weiss wonders why the hell the ruffian would be up in a random tree in the park, but she disregards it. "What are you waiting for? Go talk to her," Weiss whispers to Blake, snapping her out of her shock.

Blake nods, remembering why they went looking for her in the first place. "Oh! Right." She thinks for a moment and wonders what she should say. Blake takes a deep breath, walking over to the tree where Ryuko perches. She peers up at her with her arms crossed over her chest and an amused smile on her face.

The brawler blushes since she's pretty much convinced they're thinking that she's stalking them. "Heyyy, totally _not_ stalking you," Ryuko half-jokes with a nervous laugh. It's been a whole week since she's last seen the raven-haired girl, but it feels like a lot longer to her.

Blake snickers as she stares up at the awkward red-faced girl. "If you say so." She attempts to mask her joy at finally finding her to no avail, grinning and blushing uncontrollably.

_Okay, come on; tell her… well maybe I shouldn't just say it out of nowhere. Hm, maybe we can go for dinner. Then I'll tell her. Yeah, that works_, Blake thinks. She's about to open her mouth to say something to her, but then remembers that Weiss is still here waiting.

So, she glances behind her and calls to Weiss, saying, "You can go on without me, but um, I may or may not be back home by sundown."

"Alright, see you later. I'm going home." Weiss turns and casually walks down the stone path.

Ryuko gives Blake a puzzled look.

"You hungry?" Blake asks.

"A little. Why?" Ryuko shrugs.

"Oh, I was going to ask if you wanted to go get dinner somewhere, but-" Blake pauses as Ryuko grabs her bag and leaps down in front of her, making her cheeks flush at the sudden closeness.

"Alright. Does McTyson's Pizzeria sound good?" Ryuko suggests. She may look like she's totally chill, but on the inside, she's over the moon. She can't wait to catch up with her… Wow, she's thinking that so much could happen in one week, but hey, then again, she met her, broke her ribs, _and_ ended up staying with her and her friends, all in under a week.

"Um, sure," Blake says, taken aback. She takes a step back from her, knowing if she stayed this close, she'd do something really stupid.

Ryuko gives her a charming crooked grin. "Cool."

* * *

After their dinner, Blake suggests taking a walk around town. They're ambling down the sidewalk on Main Street, Ryuko's right arm draped over Blake's shoulders, the bold orange sun kissing the horizon. Its rays paint the sky a beautiful mix of orange and violet.

"So, how's the gang?" Ryuko asks, gazing down at Blake with a content smile. Blake's cheeks turn red.

"Oh, they're good. Yang and Ruby are fine, and Weiss is… well, Weiss."

Ryuko laughs, nodding in agreement.

"Although, lately, Yang has been a better influence on her. But of course, she still has her moments."

Ryuko nods again. She then puts on a serious and concerned expression. "So, why were you so upset earlier? I could tell from where I was in that tree that something was bothering you."

Blake frowns, peering down at the concrete. She was giving up hope that she would find her. She didn't think she would ever be able to find her and ask her to stay.

Ryuko looks down and says, "I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have mentioned it."

Blake doesn't reply, still lost in thought. She's torn on which she should tell her first. Tell her to stay or tell her she loves her.

Once the sun has set and the sky turns black, Blake breaks the silence by saying, "We should turn back. It's getting awfully late."

Ryuko and Blake stop. Ryuko returns her arm to her side and says with a smile, "Sure, I'll walk you home."

_Home_, Blake thinks as they turn the corner to walk towards the apartments, which is a little more than one mile away.

Finally, Blake musters up the courage to speak. "And it's okay. The reason I was upset… was… um…" Blake trails before pulling herself back together and finishing, "I wasn't sure if we were going to find you."

Ryuko's eyebrows shoot up. "You were _looking_ for me?"

Blake nods.

"Yeah, all day. We couldn't find you _anywhere_. And Weiss was such a pain in the ass even though _she_ was the one who got up and told me that I needed to find you. I…"

Blake stops walking, biting her lip. Ryuko stops beside her. "Blake?" The sidewalk is silent. No one else is around. It's just the two of them and starry night.

"I… need to tell you something," Blake says, gulping.

"What is it?" Ryuko frowns, unsure of what she's going to say. Blake opens her mouth but the words don't come out. She just stands there peering down at the ground, nervous and tense. Ryuko senses this and walks in front of her, gently tilting her chin up with a curled finger. Blue meets gold as Blake looks up at her. Ryuko says softly, "Whatever it is, you can tell me."

Blake's pulse quickens, starting to regret saying anything about it.

"I- Uh," Blake stammers. She swallows a lump in her throat before taking a long and deep breath. "I lo-"

Blake's words get cut off when a streak of black darts up to Ryuko and snatches her duffle bag from her, dashing into the nearby alleyway.

"HEY!" Ryuko booms angrily, chasing after the burglar. "GET BACK HERE, YOU BASTARD!"

She sprints, not about to let him get away with her bag. Everything she has, everything she's worked for all these years, is in that bag. There's no way in hell she's gonna let him escape. So what if this guy is fast? She needs to be faster.

The man in all black glances over his shoulder as he runs with the bag tucked under his arm. There's an odd smirk across his face. He laughs, calling out, "Hasta la vista, bitch!"

Ryuko narrows her eyes, faltering under the confusion. _Clearly_, something is wrong here.

"Surprise!" a sinister voice shouts to her right.

Ryuko doesn't have enough time to react, getting hit square in the face with a solid fist. She gets knocked for a loop, crashing back first to the ground, but she quickly scrambles to her feet, about to take off towards the runner, but then two thugs stand in her path. Ryuko glares at them. The guys are a couple inches taller than her, both with stocky builds, probably 200 pounds of muscle each.

"Shit," Ryuko mutters. _Fuck! He's getting away!_ She turns to run the other way, but another guy – probably the asshole that punched her – pops up in front of her. She grits her teeth in anger, putting her guard up.

"Ryuko!" another voice shouts, but this one doesn't sound hostile. It's familiar too. It sounds like… no… no, no, no, NO, _NO!_

"RUN, BLAKE!" Ryuko bellows desperately. Blake skids to a halt, taking notice of the three strong guys around her. She gasps when she sees the crimson blood flowing from Ryuko's nose. Blake freezes one of the guys behind Ryuko runs towards the raven-haired girl.

_What the hell are you doing? MOVE! _ Ryuko thinks. Acting on impulse, she elbows the guys behind her in the face and then uses her momentum to punch the other thug in the jaw, knocking them both for a loop in shock. Ryuko then takes off in an all-out sprint after the last guy.

"_Run_, damn it!" Ryuko hollers. Blake snaps out of it, turning and running away from them. Ryuko manages to catch up to the guy before he can grab Blake, tackling the mugger to ground and pinning him there, glancing up as Blake is running away.

Ryuko sighs, relieved that she can get away to safety.

But, her comfort is short-lived. One of the thugs surge past Ryuko, headed in a beeline for Blake. Ryuko gasps, scrambling to her feet about to stop him, but the man she had tackled grabs ahold of her ankle, yanking her down to the ground. They wrestle around until Ryuko socks him in jaw twice, blood spurting out of his mouth. Ryuko springs up and looks down the alley, her blood turning cold when she sees Blake in a headlock.

"NO!" Ryuko cries, charging at the man. He pulls out a switchblade and holds it to Blake's throat, making Ryuko stop in her tracks, holding her breath like even that would set him off.

He smirks. "One more move and she's dead."

Ryuko lets his words sink in, their full weight weakening her demeanor. She drops to her knees, slowly putting her hands up in surrender.

Blake's eyes widen. _What is she doing?_ she thinks.

Ryuko exhales, admitting defeat. Her face darkens as she stares at the ground and speaks. "Do whatever you want to me. I'll do anything. Just let her go." Ryuko's voice was calm and collected and equally firm, save for one crack as she said the first sentence.

Blake gapes at her in shock. Her composure frightened her. How can she be so relaxed while saying something like that?

The man smirks. "_Anything?_"

Ryuko shudders, but nods.

"Alright." The thug releases Blake from the headlock. The moment she's out of his grip, she kicks him right between his legs. He yelps and bends over, wincing in pain. Ryuko's jaw drops as she delivers a swift uppercut to his chin, making him stagger back a few feet before hitting the ground.

_She can fight?_ Ryuko freezes in surprise.

"Behind you!" she exclaims.

Adrenaline rushes through Ryuko's veins as she whips around, ducking when a fist comes flying at her face. She grabs ahold of the mugger's arm and twists it, pinning it behind his back awkwardly as she shoves him against the wall. When she spots the other man charging at her, she kicks her leg out, her foot digging into his gut. He steps back with a wince, but recovers quickly, lunging again. She bashes the pinned man's head against the brick wall before tossing him into the other asshole.

Blake swerves to dodge every punch that's thrown at her, jabbing him in the gut or jaw whatever chance she gets. The strategy works for her; it's wearing him down. And while Blake is still holding her own against asshole number three, Ryuko gets double-teamed by asshole one and two, fists digging into her jaw and sides. Then, asshole one takes out a switchblade. Ryuko narrows her eyes and locks her fingers around his wrist before he can stab her. A fist plunges into her gut as she's trying to overpower him. Ryuko coughs up blood and tussles around with him before hurling him over her shoulder with all her strength, breathing heavily.

"Jesus!" he exclaims in astonishment as he flies into the wall, then hitting the ground with a dull thud. He groans as he struggles to his feet. "Damn."

Ryuko scoffs at him. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I crush your fragile little pride? Oops. Well, that's what you get for fucking with me!" Ryuko growls the last part out, clenching her fists as she approaches him. The other guy has already turned and run off.

"You coward!" The man in front of Ryuko glares at him as he continues to run.

"He's no coward, he's just smart."

"Ryuko!" Blake cries out. Ryuko's heart jumps as she turns her head and peers at Blake pinned against the wall.

Ryuko gives the guy in front of her a quick glare, growling, "Stay down, punk." Then, she picks up the switchblade he had let slip out of his hands as he was thrown and charges at the thug pinning Blake.

"Get off of her!" Ryuko orders as she thrusts the blade into his side.

He swears loudly and releases his hold on Blake, winding his arm back and slapping Ryuko across her face with the back of an iron-like hand. She staggers back, but before she can recover, something really hard hits her in her right ribcage, sending a shockwave of pain through her body. Blake quickly comes to her aid, kicking the guy in the face and knocking him out.

"Thank you. Now run," Ryuko tells her, breathing heavily.

"What? N-"

"I'll be fine! _Go!_" Ryuko says with more force and a hint of desperation in her tone.

Blake gulps and nods, turning to run when the last shithead standing blocks her path, taking out his switchblade and slashing it at her. Time seems to slow down as Ryuko wraps her arms around Blake's waist and hauls her out of the blade's way, getting herself slashed diagonally down her back in the process.

Ryuko cries out in pain as she turns around and lashes out at the mugger. Blake gasps frantically as she looks at the blood already staining her grey t-shirt. "Are you okay?!"

"Never better," Ryuko says as she manages to snatch the blade from the thug and thrust it into his gut. After roughly yanking it out while ripping some flesh with it, she shoves the bastard against the brick wall, the bloody blade pressed against his throat. Hazel eyes stare into blue in terror. Ryuko glares at him, her eyes piecing the dark night as they seem to glow with a burning fire.

"Beg for mercy and maybe, just _maybe_, I'll spare you."

The thug does just that. He pleads for his life, and Ryuko doesn't budge, forcing him to get down on his knees and beg as if his life depends on it… oh, wait, it does.

Finally, after Ryuko gets tired of hearing his blubbering, she lets him go and he scampers off.

The moment he turns the corner, Ryuko falls to her knees, unable to stand anymore with every single nerve in her body screaming out in agony. She lets the blade slip out of her hand.

"Ryuko!" Blake's voice shrills as she caresses Ryuko's face, looking into her eyes with worry, on the verge of becoming hysterical.

"Blake," Ryuko breathes, returning her gaze.

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

Blake's jaw drops. She can't help but be amazed that with as many injuries as she has, she's only concerned about her safety. This allows Blake to pull herself together. "Yes, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. Now come on, we need to get you out of here."

* * *

Ryuko and Blake stumble through the apartment door, the brawler leaning on her for support as they rush into the bathroom. Blake closes the door behind her and carefully sits Ryuko down on the toilet seat.

They know she's going to have to take off her shirt, but neither of them are blushing this time nor are they hesitating, Ryuko throwing her hands up as Blake quickly but gingerly slips off the shirt from behind, tossing it down on the floor and turning to open the cabinet under the sink.

Ryuko glances over her shoulder at her back as it faces the mirror above the sink. There's a long bloody gash spanning from her right shoulder blade to the left side of the small of her back, almost perfectly mirroring the scar she had gotten two years ago. She can tell this wound isn't as serious as her scar was – The cut was so deep that the resulting scar was more than just a faint pink mark, but a pitted slash, after all –, but regardless, Ryuko knows that it will leave a mark. _Great, now I'm gonna have a giant fucking "X" on my back for the rest of my life_, Ryuko thinks as she lets out a sigh and looks away from it.

Blake grabs the emergency first-aid kit from the back of the pile of storage and then kneels beside Ryuko. Blake asks for her to turn to the side so that she can work on the wound. She does as she's told, and doesn't protest when Blake takes her bra off to get it out of the way. She just hugs it against her breasts to cover herself while Blake stares at the open gash in horror.

It doesn't appear _too_ deep – as in deep enough to need to be taken to the hospital and seek professional medical care – but still, a cut is a cut, so Blake gets on with it. "Okay, now hold still. This is going to sting," Blake warns.

Ryuko nods her head, bracing herself. Blake applies pressure with a washcloth to stop the blood flow. Ryuko barely flinches at all, her other wounds serving as some form of distraction, but Blake still apologizes, feeling guilty for the tremendous pain Ryuko must be in.

They sit in silence as she continues to apply the pressure until she is sure it has stopped bleeding. She then holds the cloth under running water to wash out the blood.

Blake delicately dabs the wound with gauze to dry it up. She places her free hand on Ryuko's left shoulder to both hold her steady and calm her. The gentle touch certainly soothes the injured girl.

Once she finishes drying the wound, she takes out half a dozen butterfly bandages. One at a time, she puts them on, putting a stretch into it so that the wound closes when she pulls it over.

When she's done tending to the laceration, she scans for any other open wounds. She spots one on the left side of her jaw and quickly takes care of that before saying, "Alright, I think you're good. I assume you'd like an aspirin."

Ryuko nods her head with a short laugh and Blake gets one for her. "Here."

"Thank you, Blake."

* * *

Ryuko sighs as she walks out of the bathroom. She's wearing the black nightdress Blake gave her to wear for the night. Well, she might as well call it a night_shirt _since it's so small on her, even though it's the biggest thing she has in her closet. It slims tightly around the brawler's brawny figure like a second skin, showing off every perfectly chiseled muscle. It's quite short on her; the fabric _barely_ makes it past her crotch. She walks over to the couch, the lace lining on the bottom riding up with every move of her hips. Ryuko's jaw bulges every time she has to pull it down.

Blake walks out into the living room in her own deep purple nightdress, carrying a thin blue blanket and pillow in her arms. "Okay, I got you a blanket and- _whoa_," Blake breathes, her face turning beet red as she stops and stares at Ryuko.

_It _has_to be a crime to be this hot_, Blake thinks to herself, trying to control her wild heartbeat and sky-rocketing body temperature.

"What's wrong?" Ryuko asks, oblivious.

"Oh, um, n-nothing. I just uh- You look- That nightdress is a little small on you," Blake stammers, stumbling over to her and handing her the blanket and pillow, all while looking away from her.

"Oh, yeah, I know, but it's alright. Thank you for letting me borrow it." Ryuko takes the stuff into her hands and drops them onto the couch, giving Blake a concerned look. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Ryuko, stop worrying about me," Blake sighs, regaining her composure.

"Well, sorry, I can't do that," Ryuko tells her.

"Why not? You shouldn't be so concerned about me. I mean, look at you. You're all beat up and-" Blake pauses when Ryuko pulls her into a warm hug.

"That doesn't matter to me, Blake. I don't know what I would've done if you got hurt," Ryuko confesses, her voice soft and sincere.

Blake's cheeks flush. She closes her eyes and starts to wrap her arms around Ryuko, but, remembering her injury, stops and gently places her hands on Ryuko's waist instead. She exhales as she buries her face in her bare shoulder. They stand in each other's arms for a long time, neither of them saying a word to one another. They just hold each other close in blissful silence.

Although reluctant to do so, Blake is the one who finally speaks. "You should get some rest."

Ryuko sighs and lets go of Blake. She then turns and plops down on the couch face-first, exhausted.

After Ryuko fluffs her pillow and fixes the blanket over herself, Blake kneels beside her.

"Thank you… for saving my life," Blake tells her.

Ryuko gives Blake a heartfelt smile, turning onto her side to face her.

"You're welcome."

Blake frowns. _I don't deserve Ryuko. She's so strong. So selfless. So amazing._

"What's the matter?" Ryuko asks, her blue eyes gazing up at her in concern.

Blake sighs and shakes her head. "Nothing. And, uh, sorry about your bag."

"Ah, it's alright. All of its contents can be replaced in time. I'm just relieved that both of us got out of there in one piece. _You_ especially."

This causes a smile to cross Blake's face. She leans down, pressing her lips against Ryuko's forehead. Her lips linger for a few seconds as she tenderly runs her fingers through her hair. Ryuko smiles a content smile as she closes her eyes.

"Will you stay with me?"

Surprisingly, it's Ryuko who utters these words, opening her eyes halfway to look at her.

Blake just smiles and nods, adjusting her sitting position so that she is comfortable as she continues to run her fingers through her hair, resting her other arm on the edge of the couch. She strokes through each strand tenderly, and her gentle touch is what lulls Ryuko to sleep almost instantaneously.

Blake holds back a giggle as she watches the brawler sleep. She leans forward and kisses Ryuko on the forehead again, whispering, "I love you, Ryuko" against her skin. She rests her chin on her arm and eventually drifts off.

* * *

**By the way, that short passage that Blake read is all lyrics from a song: More Than A Feeling by Boston. I DO NOT OWN THOSE LYRICS.**

**Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter. I may not have the next one up for a while since my junior year of high school just started last Monday for me and with all honors classes, it's really intense. It's only been one week and I already have 2 hours of homework. :'(**

**Anyway, that's enough ranting. I'll try to have it up in somewhere around a week.**


	6. Constellations

Blake's eyes flutter open, taking in her surroundings. She's tucked in her own bed in her bedroom, which is dark save for the slivers of soft golden sunlight seeping through her thin violet purple curtains.

_Wait, why am I here? I never left Ryuko's side last night. What happened?_ Blake thinks. Her thoughts take a sharp turn, filling her with angst. _Was… was that all a dream? Did I not fall asleep at her side? Did Weiss not help me try to find her? Is she still… gone?_

She pulls herself out of bed and trudges out of her room hesitantly, not sure if she's ready to find out the truth.

When she walks out into the living room, she peers at the couch. A blue blanket is folded on top of a white pillow, which sits on the arm of the sofa. Wait, does that mean…

"Good morning, Blake," a low husky voice says.

Blake stiffens. She knows that voice. And she knows exactly who it belongs to. She could never mistake it for anyone else. She allows the relief to wash over her as she turns and faces the kitchen to see Ryuko sitting at the table sipping a cup of coffee. She's still wearing her purple nightdress, which hugs her figure quite tightly.

_So, everything did actually happen… so why did I wake up in my bed? _Blake wonders.

"Good morning. Um, Ryuko, quick question," Blake says.

Ryuko sets her cup down on the table and looks at her intently. "Shoot."

"I remember falling asleep out here. Why did I wake up in my bed?" Blake asks.

Ryuko hums, recalling a memory. "Ah, I woke up at some five o'clock in the morning and found you asleep on the floor. You looked so peaceful that I couldn't bring myself to wake you up, so I carried you to your room."

A light blush spreads across Blake's cheeks as she imagines Ryuko carrying her in her arms bridal style. She'd give her that charming smile and… Blake quickly snaps herself out of her trance and answers, "Oh, thank you."

"You're welcome. Anyway, I couldn't fall asleep after I woke up so I put my clothes in the wash. I already scrubbed the blood out of my t-shirt, but I don't know if I'd be able to sew it back together. So, would you happen to have anything for me to wear for the day?"

Blake shakes her head with a short laugh. "Judging by how tightly _that_ fits you, I don't think so."

Ryuko sighs, disappointed. "Crap. I figured as much. I guess I'll have to buy new clothes." Remembering she doesn't have any cash, – all of her money and stuff stolen last night – she sighs again, now moderately irritated.

Blake senses her frustration and feels bad. "I can probably sew your shirt up. I saw the rip. It's long, but I think I could fix it," She suggests. "When will it be out of the wash?"

"I donno. Maybe ten minutes, but it still has to go in the dryer."

"That's fine. And you should probably let the shirt air-dry. The dryer would make the rip worse."

Ryuko hums in agreement. "True."

"Hmph, I figured you'd be here in the morning," another voice says. Blake and Ryuko turn to look at Weiss. She's in her blue nightgown, standing at the end of the hallway with one hand on her hip.

"Oh, good morning, Weiss," Ryuko says.

"Morning." Weiss walks into the kitchen and pours herself a cup of coffee, sitting next to Ryuko.

Yang trudges into the living room, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Saying her hair is a mess is an understatement. Ryuko is certain she's never seen bed head quite like this. "Hey, guys," Yang yawns.

"Wow, you're up earlier than usual," Ryuko says casually.

Yang jumps at the unexpected sound. Her eyes flash open and peer at the brawler in surprise. "Ryuko?! What are you doing he- wait, isn't that Blake's nightdress?"

Ryuko, suddenly feeling self-conscious, tenses up a little and looks away with a deep red flush on her face. "Uh, yeah."

When Ryuko looks back at Yang, she gets a playful smirk. "Looks good on ya."

"Thanks," Ryuko smirks back, the girl's outgoing personality rubbing off on her and making her feel a little more comfortable.

When Weiss finally notices what she's wearing, her face burns with embarrassment. "Wha- Oh, my- _What_ are you _wearing_?! Have you no shame?!"

Ryuko shrugs and tells her, "Well, I'm sorry. I lost everything I had last night, so you're going to have to deal with it for the time being." She picks up her cup and sips some coffee.

Weiss frowns and so does Yang. "What are you talking about?" the snowy-haired girl inquires with concern.

Ryuko grimaces and sets down her coffee cup on the table. She glances up at Blake, who sighs and sits on the other side of the brawler, ready to help her explain everything to their friends.

"What happened?" Yang asks, sitting down across from Ryuko with a worried expression, which is not something they see from her often.

So, Ryuko starts telling the story.

**…**

"Whoa, that's rough. Are you okay?" Ruby says after Ryuko and Blake both explained the mess they got into. Ruby had joined everyone else in the kitchen after hearing a bunch of talking, so she was also filled in on the events of last night.

Blake and Ryuko ensure the younger girl that they will be fine. Ruby then asks about Ryuko's wound.

"Yeah, it'll heal, but I know it's going to turn into a scar, even with Blake working her magic. I don't think it's going to disappear completely. Gonna have a stupid "X" on my back," Ryuko says, letting out a short laugh to lighten the mood.

"Wait, an "X"? I thought you said it was just one slash," Weiss says, confused.

Ryuko clarifies. "I have another one to match."

"How'd you get that one?" Yang asks.

"That's another jump story, one I most certainly would _not_ enjoy telling."

"Wow, this city does not like you."

Ryuko snorts. "You have no idea."

**…**

Later that night, Ryuko sits on the couch watching TV. She's wearing her grey t-shirt and dark-wash blue jeans. Blake had done a great job of sewing her shirt up, and it should last for a while as long as she doesn't train in it. Although it is Friday, Ryuko doesn't plan on going to the Arena tonight; neither does she plan on making an appearance tomorrow night. As much as she needs the money, she would not be happy if her wound reopened as she was fighting. So, she sits on her ass watching TV. She quickly gets bored of the current program, so she flips through the channels, and after what feels like twenty channels, she just shuts it off entirely, sitting back against the couch and draping her arms over the back of the sofa.

"Hey," a familiar voice says.

Ryuko turns her head to see Blake in her black nightdress, walking over to the couch. She sits down next to the girl, who replies with another "Hey."

"How's your cut doing?" Blake asks, crossing her legs and sitting back.

"Not too bad. It doesn't hurt much, so that's good," Ryuko says, offering a reassuring smile.

Blake gladly returns the smile. "I'm glad to hear that."

"So, is everyone else asleep?" Ryuko asks, curious.

"I believe so. Well, Ruby is definitely asleep, but," Blake lowers her voice to a whisper, "I donno about the other two. I noticed Weiss slip into Yang's bedroom."

The two of them snicker to themselves. "I doubt anything _lewd_, as the Princess would call it, is going on. They're probably just going to sleep. They're such a cute couple," Ryuko whispers.

Blake nods her head in agreement. "Yes, yes they are."

Neither of them says anything else for a while until Blake breaks the silence by saying, "We all missed you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but me especially." Blake starts to feel the flush rising in her cheeks, but doesn't look away from her.

"Aw," Ryuko smiles with a short laugh. "Yeah, I missed you too. Those six weeks I spent here were great despite being injured and all of that. I felt like I was a part of a family again."

"What about Sanageyama and that other guy?" Blake asks.

"Well, I guess they're my family too. Sanageyama and Gamagoori are my good friends and I owe them my life after all." Ryuko shrugs. "But, we didn't click the same way I did when I met you guys."

Blake smiles.

"It feels good to be back." Ryuko suddenly says, her eyes wandering around the living room.

"Yeah, unfortunately, it's because you're hurt," Blake sighs.

"Nah, it's fine. Anyway, um, speaking of me being back here," Ryuko starts, catching Blake's attention, "if it's okay with everyone, I'd uh- I mean, I don't want to be a bother, but… I'd like to stay here with you guys, like, move in, you know, even though I don't exactly, uh, have anything to move in with. Of course, I understand if you can't-"

Blake cuts off her rambling with the soft calling of her name. Ryuko stops and blushes, looking at her from the side. Blake smiles and says, "That was the whole reason behind Weiss and me going out to find you in the first place."

Ryuko's face lights up. "Seriously?"

Blake nods with a smile. She then gazes up at the strong brawler. She has her face turned towards her now with a joyful grin. _Her smile… it's so bright it makes the sun seem dull. She's amazing. _Blake bites her lip, feeling her heart flutter. Without putting any thought into it, she says softly, "Well, that and _this_."

And with that, Blake inches her way closer to Ryuko, much to the brawler's surprise, although she doesn't move away as the space between them slowly decreases. Ryuko's heartbeat starts to accelerate when Blake's hand wanders onto her thigh. Blake leans in until their lips are inches apart. They gaze into each other's eyes. Ryuko gulps. She's so close to her that she can feel her breath. It's long and heavy, like she's run a marathon before this, yet it's soft and cool against her skin.

Her heart is pounding in her chest. _Huh? She's stopped moving closer. What is she waiting for? Is she waiting for me? Oh, man._

Ryuko's cheeks flush, but she quickly pulls herself together, mustering up the courage to make her move. Hesitant at first, she leans in and brushes her lips against hers. Blake reciprocates immediately, making Ryuko's heart quiver. She deepens the kiss, eliciting a soft moan from Blake. Ryuko's heart skips. She tastes so sweet. She can't seem to get enough of it, but her lungs quickly beg for air, so she reluctantly pulls away and takes a deep breath.

Ryuko gazes down at Blake with glowing amber eyes boring into her own. Eager for another taste, Ryuko leans in for the second kiss. She caresses Blake's face and deepens the kiss right away, blushing and moaning into the kiss. The raven-haired girl's hand shifts slightly on her thigh and Ryuko removes one hand from her cheek and places it over Blake's, her fingers brushing against the back of her hand.

Blake is the one to pull away this time, sliding her other hand up to her chest, resting it over her hammering heart as she leans in again. Blake stops halfway there and, with a crooked smile, whispers softly, "Your heart is beating _really_ fast." Ryuko's cheeks warm up, trying to close the distance between their lips – it feels like they're a mile away even though it's not much more than a couple inches – but before their lips can touch, Blake presses down firmly on her chest, stopping her. "_Whoa_ there," Blake giggles playfully. Ryuko huffs impatiently. With an amused smile, Blake moves her hand up from her chest to her cheek, gently brushing her thumb against her bottom lip teasingly. Slipping her hand out of Ryuko's, she slides it up from her thigh and under her shirt, stopping over her abs. Ryuko exhales softly, her touch so alluring.

_Urrgg! Quit teasing me, woman! _Ryuko thinks, biting her lip as she and Blake hold each other's gaze.

Blake suppresses a laugh and withdraws her hands, having had enough of teasing and getting eager for more herself. She leans in again, wrapping her arms around her neck. Slowly closing her eyes, she brushes her lips against Ryuko's. She feels strong arms wrap around her waist, pulling her body flush against hers.

The intensity of the kiss escalates as their body temperatures creep up and off the charts. Their hearts beat viciously in their chests as they pour every ounce of their desire into their kiss, only breaking briefly for a single breath before smacking their lips back together passionately.

An eternity seems to pass before their lips finally part, their eyes opening and immediately meeting as they catch their breath.

_I may not see the sky, but I'm certain I can see a whole constellation in those eyes_, Blake thinks with a smile.

Ryuko gently presses her forehead against Blake's, closing her eyes and caressing her face with one hand while her other hand is in her hair, her fingers tenderly running through the long silky stands of black waves.

Ryuko slowly lies down on her back, gingerly taking Blake with her so that she straddles her from her right side. She wraps her right arm around her, pulling her close. Blake smiles and nestles warmly against her body, placing her hand atop Ryuko's stomach. The brawler puts her free hand on Blake's, giving it a gentle and affectionate squeeze as the girl nuzzles her head into the crook between Ryuko's neck and shoulder.

They close their eyes with matching content smiles. Ryuko shifts her right arm up so that she can stroke Blake's hair. Blake hums in bliss as Ryuko continues, her movements slow and tender.

As the minutes go by, Blake's breath becomes slow and steady, warm against her skin. When she turns her head and opens her eyes to peer down at the girl, she grins, seeing that she is fast asleep.

_She's so beautiful_, Ryuko thinks, tenderly pressing her lips against her temple before resting her chin on the top of her head. She sighs, closing her eyes and letting herself drift away, still running her fingers through Blake's hair in her sleep.

**…**

"Awwww, look at them!" Yang whisper-shouts with a wide grin. "They are sooo cute!"

Yang and Weiss had gotten up and walked out into the living room that morning to see Blake snuggled up against Ryuko, both girls in a deep sleep.

Weiss just mutters, "How lewd."

"Yeah, yeah, says the girl who couldn't get enough of me last night," Yang snickers under her breath.

Weiss' face turns a deep shade of red.

**…**

_Weiss snuck into Yang's bedroom that night, tiptoeing across the hall over to her door, slowly and quietly turning the doorknob and stepping inside. That dolt Ruby was snoring in her sleep, and not wanting to bother waking the girl up, she went into Yang's room to escape the noise instead._

_As she closed the door behind her, her light blue eyes scanned the bedroom. It's slightly smaller than her and Ruby's. There is a dresser on the left wall and a closet along the right wall. In the center of the room is Yang's twin bed with a nightstand on the right side._

_Weiss shuffled up to the side of her bed and stared down at her. She was lying on her side, one arm extended out to the edge of the bed where Weiss stood with her cheeks bright red and the other arm wrapping itself around the empty air by Yang's torso. Her long wild golden curls fell down over her body, her bangs falling over her eyes, which were closed, but darting around behind her eyelids, indicating that she was asleep and in the middle of a dream._

_Weiss couldn't believe she was about to do this, but she couldn't stand Ruby's snoring and didn't feel like arguing with the dolt._

_Yang stirred when Weiss quietly called out her name. When her lilac eyes opened sluggishly, she took a moment to quickly glance around her bedroom and then peered at Weiss. She blinked at her with a blank expression. "Huh? Weiss? What's the matter?" Yang moaned, her voice husky and gravelly from grogginess._

_Weiss' cheeks flushed at the sound that most certainly was attractive to the girl. Struggling to maintain her impassive expression, Weiss simply ordered, "Move over."_

_Yang gaped at Weiss, taken aback. She certainly didn't expect her to want to sleep with her, not that she's complaining in the slightest. "Uh, okay," Yang said, scooching over as much as she could in the small bed and lying on her side facing Weiss. She flipped back the covers for her._

_The girl crawled into the bed and slipped under the covers, turning so that her back was to Yang, biting her lip. The bed was so warm from Yang's body heat. It wasn't sweltering hot, though; it was just right._

_As she closed her eyes, she felt an arm drape over her side and hug her slim figure, two oddly squishy things pressing against her back. It only took Weiss a split second to realize what they were and tensed up, her entire body heating up._

_"__What's wrong, Snow Angel? You seem tense," Yang whispered softly, her breathe tickling the nape of Weiss' neck as she buried her face in the sleek curtain of white hair. Yang gave her nape a light kiss, calming the snowy-haired girl. Yang smiled at this, planting another delicate kiss on her shoulder._

_Weiss was shocked at how much Yang's voice and touch comforted her, how much it made her want more. The feeling she got in her heart every time Yang was near her scared her. It was frightening, knowing that someone had such a powerful effect on her. Her radiating presence. Her touch. Her warmth. She succumbed to it all when Yang exhaled against her skin again. She abruptly turned over and cupped her face in her hands, brushing her lips against hers fervently. Yang stiffened from the impromptu kiss, but Weiss' thumbs stroking her cheek made her unwind, moaning into Weiss' mouth with her heart about to burst out of her chest when the girl deepened the kiss._

_Yang, although seen as the pants of the relationship, secretly LOVED dominant Weiss. She was left breathless every time that side of her came out, and tonight was no exception._

_Weiss pressed her body flush against Yang's, forcing her onto her back. She straddled the girl and slid her hands down from her cheeks to her large breasts. Yang's cheeks reddened when Weiss finally pulled her lips away only to kiss her jugular, biting down and sucking on her heated skin. Yang gasped, shoving one hand into Weiss' hair. Weiss then planted a soft kiss on the mark she left under the tender skin._

_Weiss gave Yang a flustered stare when Yang smirked. "My turn," Yang muttered, placing her hands on her hips and swapping positions with her. Weiss giggled, grinning as Yang straddled her just like she had done to her. She pinned her arms above her head, firmly but loosely just in case the girl wanted to escape her grip at any time. Yang brushed her lips against Weiss', lowering herself on her as she deepened the kiss._

_Once the two of them needed to take a breath, they broke the kiss and gazed into each other's eyes. Their faces were a deep shade of red, their hearts pounding in their chests. Yang grinned down at Weiss, who reached up and stroked her girlfriend's cheek._

_Yang crawled off of Weiss and let herself plop down beside her, turning onto her side and propping her body up by her elbow. Weiss turned onto her side, her back facing Yang. The blond beauty took the invitation and spooned her, slipping her arm over Weiss' and interlocking their fingers together. Weiss smiled and let out a content sigh, closing her eyes._

_The two girls lied together in blissful silence as they both fell into a deep slumber._

**…**

Weiss blushes as she shoots daggers at Yang, who immediately throws her hands up for peace, her face pale with fear. "Let's just wake them up already. It's ten thirty in the morning," she tells her girlfriend.

"What?! No, no, no. You can't wake them! They look so peaceful," Yang argues quietly.

"I don't care. It's late. It's about time they got up."

Weiss doesn't bother to lower her voice, which causes Ryuko's eyes to sluggishly open. The brawler takes her hand off of Blake's to rub her eyes and take in her surroundings, though it takes her a couple seconds for her to become wary enough to notice Yang and Weiss standing in front of the couch where she lies with Blake.

"Took you long enough to score," Yang teases, sticking her tongue out at her.

_Ah, crap. Blake and I are never going to live this down_, Ryuko thinks.

Ryuko suppresses a laugh, but then she sees the red love bite on the blond beauty's neck. "Speaking of scoring," Ryuko chuckles, pointing at the blemish knowingly. Yang's cheeks flush as she covers it with her hand and glances off to the side. She then gives Weiss a sly look, teasing quietly, "_Wow_, Weiss. Nice job. Didn't think you could be so _dirty_."

"Shut up, you oaf!" Weiss growls rather loudly, her face burning with anger and embarrassment.

Ryuko winces and looks down at Blake. She hasn't stirred. The girl exhales, then gives Weiss a look. "Shush. Don't wake my Sleeping Beauty. Got it, Princess?" Ryuko warns under her breath, just loud enough for the snowy-haired girl to hear her.

"It's ten-thirty, you lazy bum."

Blake's eyes choose that moment to flutter open. She moans softly against the side of her neck, quickly getting the brawler's attention. She blushes as she peers down at Blake, the girl gazing back up at Ryuko with a delighted smile.

"Good morning, Ryuko," she smiles, her golden amber eyes gazing into an ocean of blue.

Ryuko smiles back, ignoring Yang and Weiss as Blake presses a light kiss on the side of her jaw and slides her hand up her stomach to her cheek, lightly pushing her to turn her head in her direction. Blake leans forward and brushes her lips against hers in a brief but affectionate kiss.

As soon as Ryuko's eyes open, she sees Yang making cheesy kissy faces out of her peripheral vision. She blushes. "Um…"

"What's wrong?" Blake asks, concerned. Ryuko looks up at Yang and Weiss. Confused, Blake follows her eyes and turns a deep shade of red when she sees the two girls standing in front of them. Mortified, Blake buries her face in Ryuko's chest to hide her expression.

Yang and Ryuko burst into laughter while Weiss just rolls her eyes.

When Blake finally lets everyone see her face, Yang smirks at her. "Busted."

"Yeah, well, you're one to talk," Ryuko counters.

Blake rests her head against Ryuko's chest as the three friends continue to banter with one another, letting out a content sigh as she blocks them out.

Ryuko is finally home.

**Alright, so bad news is: I'm discontinuing this story. I'm a momentum writer, and I've been so focused on writing The Rise Of Team RYDN, that I kind of tossed this story aside. Don't get me wrong ;I loved writing this! And don't worry, I'll probably come back to this in a couple months because I tend to change my mind too many times to count. Just sit tight, sometime, I'll get this moving again. If enough people protest, I'll start up again sooner 'cause I'm not only writing for myself, but I'm also writing for you guys. So, if you liked this story, then favorite it, and if you want more, go follow it and I'll be sure to get back to this eventually.**

**~Donna :D**


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